Where Is Your Heart?
by everythingisbloomable
Summary: AU Senior Year. Secrets, lies, deception, pain is what the little town of Tree Hill, North Carolina is all about. So why should senior year be any different? Secret love child, a baby, a long lost family and a broken heart that won't heal... R
1. Angels Losing Sleep

**Where Is Your Heart**  
_By -OthStarlet- aka Katie_

**Story: **One Tree Hill  
**Pairings: **Just have to read and see.  
**Rating: **T  
**Warnings: **This contains some bad language.  
**Summery:** At the end of Season 2, AU Senior Year. Secrets, lies, deception, pain is what the little town of Tree Hill, North Carolina is all about. And senior year isn't going to be any different.  
**Disclaimer:** I do_ NOT_ own One Tree Hill, that pleasure remains Mark Schwahn's, or any of the characters you recognize, but the rest are mine.  
**Spoilers:** Season 1 and 2, some of Season 3  
**Feedback:** Please review. I love to read readers opinions and comments.  
**Author's Note:** Story has been revised. Posted before but I didn't like how it was written but I loved the story line, so it has been rewritten. I realize you probably hate me so sorry. If you read the last story under the same name, all the important chapters will now become flashbacks. First five chapters or so are flashbacks, indicated and in italics. The characters thoughts will be bold and italicized. Any questions, just ask.  
**Title Information: **The title of the story is a song by Kelly Clarkson. Lyrics can be found here:  
http(:)(/)www(dot)azlyrics(dot)com(/)lyrics(/)kellyclarkson(/)whereisyourheart

* * *

**Chapter 1 - Angels Losing Sleep**

"_Man once sang to me; look at you saving the world on your own. And I wonder how things gonna be, 'cause the time here it passes so slow. In a city of devils we live, A city of devils we live. Find somebody to learn, boy you gotta love someone more than yourself. I can feel the fire of the city lights burn. It's hard to find angels in hell."_

_- - Yellowcard "City of Devils"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**Who knew soap operas really existed. Welcome to Tree Hill, North Carolina. Really, can one town hold so much drama? When you think that there isn't anymore drama left to come from this town, it blows up in your face or bites you in the ass.**_

Lucas Scott flipped the page of an old Sherlock Holmes book that he was rereading for probably the billionth time, when he was suddenly blinded by a pair of hands covering his eyes.

"Guess who!"

_- -flashback- -_

_The blonde hair, blue eyed girl Lucas had noticed from a distance came up to him at his table and asked, "Do you mind if I join you?"_

_Lucas looked at her dumbfounded while her eyes questioned him politely. Lucas finally moved and replied, "sure, why not."_

_As she sat down, she outstretched her arm. "My name is Marissa."_

"_Lucas."_

_Marissa chewed and swallowed some of her food before she continued on. "So Lucas, you aren't from around here, are you?"_

"_Nope, I'm just passing through."_

_Marissa nodded her head as she took another bite from her hamburger, ate a couple of fries and took a long drink of her Mountain Dew. "So, where you headed?"_

"_Um, home. Tree Hill, North Carolina."_

"_Oh-my-gosh, are you serious?" She stared at him, disbelieving what he had just said before she squealed and almost jumped for joy. "That is too weird. That's where I have to go!" Do you think you could give me a ride?"_

"_How old are you?"_

_Marissa looked at him confused and shrugged. "Does it matter?"_

_Lucas chuckled and smiled at her. "Well, yea. I really don't want to get in trouble if I get caught assisting a run away now do I?"_

"_I'm fine. I'm not a runaway."_

"_How do I know you are telling the truth?"_

"_You are just going to have trust me." She smiled at him, almost a smirk that made Lucas think that he has met her before._

_Lucas stood up from the table and smiled widely at her. "All right, lets hit the road."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"Marissa Vivian Scott, I can't read my book if your hands are over my eyes now can I?

"Oh no! Don't you go middle naming me Lucas Eugene Scott! And besides, you probably read that book enough times to memorize it by now if it's that badly worn."

Lucas chuckled. "Remember this conversation when I kick you out of the house. Don't you think that you should be a bit more kurtosis toward me, after all that I have done for you? We don't just allow strangers into this house."

_- -flashback- -_

"_Could you turn here please, the house is down this street." Lucas turned the car down the street, lined with perfect suburban houses and lawns. "That house, down there." Lucas pulled up in front of a familiar house._

_Lucas looked at her. "Why are we at the Scott's house?" _

"_Lucas, aren't you just Curious George. I'm here to see my father, Dan Scott."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"You wouldn't get rid of me now would you?" Her bright blue eyes sparkled as she smiled sweetly to her newly found half brother. "After all, it would be so boring without me around here to liven up the place!"

_- -flashback- -_

"_I need to see Dan Scott!"_

"_Why?"_

"_Excuse me?"_

"_Honey, let me give you some advise. Leave town now and never ever think about Dan Scott again. You are better off this way."_

"_But I need to see him. I need some help."_

"_What are you a slut that he has been sleeping with and now you are pregnant? Is that why you need him?"_

"_No."_

"_Then what?"_

"_I need to see him. I need to meet him and talk to him and see if I'm anything like him. I need to see my father!"_

_Deb glared at the blonde and Nathan looked between the two women. "What?"_

"_My name is Marissa Scott. My father's name is Dan Scott. I have to see him. Please, please, please help me!"_

_Deb's mouth dropped. She finally noticed the similarities between Marissa, Nathan, Lucas and Dan and could believe she hadn't seen it before. "How old are you?"_

"_What?"_

"_How old are you!"_

"_Fourteen"_

"_Oh-my-god, he cheated on me. After everything I went through with my affair and he actually fathered another child!"_

"_You're his wife?"_

"_And you are the bastard child. Leave me and my son alone or else I will be forced to call the cops on you."_

_Marissa looked quickly at the man behind his mother, wondering if he looked anything like her father as she was pushed out the door. "Wait!"_

_The door slammed behind her and she turned around to stare at the door and ring the door bell a couple of times. When she realized that they weren't going to open the door again, no matter how many times she rang the bell, she walked to the road._

_- -end flashback- -_

"Yea, because Tree Hill really needs more drama." He turned serious and looked at Marissa silently and asked, "How do you feel today?"

_- -flashback- -_

_The door bell rang in the distance. Lucas looked between his mother and Andy and got up to answer it as the person at the door rings the bell again impatiently. Lucas opens the door to see a small blonde with flooded blue eyes. "Marissa?"_

"_Hey." Lucas watches as her eyes cloud over and she collapses, with Lucas catching her before she hits the ground._

_- -end flashback- -_

"I'm fine Lucas. Thank you for asking but don't ever play the worried brother card on me, and I mean never! I would have to kick your ass!"

"So treatment today was good?"

_- -flashback- -_

_Marissa hears beeping coming from somewhere around her head as she struggles to stay conscious. She doesn't have a clue where she is, all she could remember was ringing the door at Lucas' house. How long ago was that? A few hours, a day, maybe a week._

_Her eyes slowly flutter open and she looks at the face of a blonde haired boy sitting beside her as he smiles down at her. "Welcome back."_

_Marissa closes her eyes and reopens them and tries, with little success, to give a genuine smile back to the blonde. "Thanks," She whispers to him._

_Lucas' face becomes serious and looks at her. "Were you ever going to tell me you have leukemia?" Marissa's eyes sudden become wide open. "You should have told me."_

"_I . . . I . . . I didn't think that I should be telling some stranger that I was sick."_

"_But I'm not some stranger. I'm your brother."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"It was fine, Lucas."

Lucas sighed. "Fine, fine, you keep saying fine. What's going on Marissa? Why can't you tell me what is really wrong?"

"What if nothing is wrong?"

"There is something wrong. I can tell because you have the same expression on your face like I do when I'm lying."

"I must really be your sister then."

_- -flashback- -_

_Marissa sits up in bed and watches as a man enters her hospital room and looks down at her sitting in her bed. "Hi."_

"_So you are the bastard child?" Marissa gasps, but doesn't respond, instead looks down trying hard to keep her tears at bay. "You are the child that your slut mother never bothered to tell me about for fourteen years is it?"_

"_Maybe that was a good thing, considering how much you screwed up your first two."_

"_Been talking to Lucas I presume. Which means that you only know some of the story. But I'm not here to waste my breath and explain to you what happened seventeen years ago."_

"_Why are you here then?"_

"_Unfortunately, since your mother claims I'm the father of you, I have to collect you and take you home with me."_

"_I'm not going anywhere with you."_

_The hospital room door opens and both turned as Lucas walks into the room, handing Dan some paper work. "What's this?"_

"_We want you to sigh over custody of Marissa to my Mom."_

"_Gladly." He quickly signs the papers in his hand and hands them back to Lucas before heading toward the door. "By the way, I heard the reason you were looking for me is that you need treatment for your Leukemia? You can forget that now," he smirked before leaving._

_Marissa buried her head in her hands, finally letting the tears fall down her cheeks as Lucas strokes her back, trying to comfort her. "Don't worry. My Mom will pay for it."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"Marissa, why don't you just tell me what's wrong. Sometimes talking to people you care about helps the pain go away, or at least a little more bearable. Just talk to me.

"Nothing's wrong, nothing at all."

_- -flashback- -_

"_Dan won't pay for the treatment, Mom." Marissa kept her eyes closed and strained to listen to the conversation going on outside her room. "What are we going to do? We can't just let her go without the treatment."_

"_No, of course not."_

"_But Mom," Lucas paused for a moment and then continued. "We can't really pay for either can we? We don't have that kind of money."_

"_I know Lucas. But there is know other way."_

"_What are you going to do?"_

"_I'm going to go talk to the Billing Department here and see what kind of payment plan we can work out for Marissa. We might even have to take out a second mortgage._

"_You are going to do all that for Marissa?"_

"_She has had a bad enough life, especially know that she knows what kind of father she has, I really don't want this to hurt her more." Karen turned to walk toward the office before turning back to Lucas. "We better pray that you become some rich basketball player now, don't we?"_

_Marissa brought the blanket up over her head as Lucas opened the door, chuckling to himself, although she noticed, it was half heartedly._

_- -end flashback- -_

"Alright, but I still don't believe you."

"I'm going to bed. I'm a bit tired and I need a nap." Before Lucas could respond, she leaves the room and runs toward her own room in the house, closing the door and burrowing her face in the pillow, her tears running down her face.

* * *

_Angels Losing Sleep - Our Lady Peace_

**_I'm really sorry if this is confusing right now, but I promise you that it will make sense as soon as the flashbacks are gone. Also Haley never came home and Lucas went and saw her during the summer by himself. Nathan went to highflyers, Brooke went to California, and Peyton had that whole Ellie thing. Each will make sense in future chapters. Again, any questions, just ask. By the way, any song featured in my story is usually a song that I love, so you should check it out. If the story is too confusing, you can go over to The WB and read it there, as it goes slower then here. Link is posted  
http(:)(/)talk(dot)thewb(dot)com(/)viewtopic(dot)php(?)topic()624881(&)forum()59(&)25_**

**_- Katie -_**


	2. It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing

**Chapter 2 - It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing**

"_It took so long to see, you walked away from me, when I need you. Wake up, I'm pounding on the door. I'm not the man I was before. Where the hell are you, when I need you?"_

_- -Three Days Grace "Wake Up"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**Always and Forever. That's what we promised to each other. But I guess being teenagers prevented the 'Forever' and the 'Always'. I would have loved her till death do us part, just like in our vows. I wish love could conquer all, and we were together like on our wedding day.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Haley and Nathan are standing on the beach, Haley in a white gown and Nathan in a suit, with a priest and Haley's parents, Lydia and Jimmy. Nathan slips a ring onto Haley's ring finger and smiles at her._

"_Someday, this beach might wash away . . . the oceans may dry . . . the sun could dim but on that day, I'll still be loving you. Always and forever. I promise you Haley."_

_Haley smiles uncontroably back at Nathan as the priest continues. "And now, Haley, please repeat after me; I Haley, take you Nathan."_

_Haley looks at her parents and smiles before turning her attention back to Nathan and the Priest in front of herself. "I Haley, take you Nathan."_

"_To have and to hold, from this day forward."_

"_To have and to hold, from this day forward. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. For better or worse. I promise, that I will love and cherish you And will deny all those that would come between us. I make this promise for eternity. I promise that I will keep forever . . . Until the end of time. Till death do us part."_

_- -end flashback- -_

_**But I guess we can't always get what we want though, can we? Reality sets in and you find out that your wife has a special talent and is offered to tour with The Wreckers and one Chris Keller. Reality sucks.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Nathan and Haley quickly enter the apartment, and Nathan turns toward Haley. "You know, now that Taylor's leaving, maybe we'll have enough hot water for our own showers." _

_Haley smiles and closes the door. She eyes him a couple of times before climbing onto the counter with a sigh. She hugs him sadly. Nathan asks, "Haley, what's wrong?" as she lets go of him._

"_Um… Michelle Branch likes my voice. She thinks I could be a singer. A real one." Haley watches as a smile spreads across his face. "Chris said that she wants me on tour." It hurts when she sees Nathan's smile drop. "I'm so far ahead with classes and I'd be back in time for finals."_

_Nathan nods but Haley knows that he doesn't approve of this. "So says the great Chris."_

"_No, this isn't about him, Nathan. This is about… opportunity. I have, my entire life, been the reliable one and the dependable one and I've always done… precisely what's expected of me."_

"_Till we got married."_

"_And then I finally did something for me… something that I wanted… and the world didn't end." She smiles sadly before taking a deep breath and continues on. "And I have that chance again."_

_Nathan raises his eyebrows, Haley notices and it makes her heart break. "If you leave me."_

_She gasps. "This is not the end for us. This is my shot to find out if I am good enough to have a life in music. Or if nights at TRIC are all I get."_

"_And this has nothing to do with Chris?"_

_Quietly she answers, "No. Absolutely not."_

_He snorts softly. "Then why haven't you asked me to come with you?" Haley doesn't answer, not really sure how to answer but he continues anyway, his voice broken. "Did you kiss him?"_

"_Yes." Haley watches as Nathan breaks, showing that he is beyond hurt and she wraps her hands around his neck. "I'm sorry. You have to believe me. That's not what this is about. Nathan—"_

"_Haley, listen; if you wanna go, you should go." He pauses breathing deeply. "If you do…" He steps back, away from Haley, "we're done." Haley gasps as Nathan turns and leaves the apartment._

_- -end flashback- -_

Nathan brought the bottle to his mouth, posed to swallow the bitter taste down and forget the painful memories. But no matter how much he drank, the memories continued to come.

_- -flashback- -_

_The basketball is dribbled down the left side of the court, the rhythm of the bouncing ball on tune with the rhythm of the players heart beat. The ball is quickly passed to another player and then right back to his hands. He streaks through the crowd of players blocking him, under the net and out the other side. He jumps and slams the ball through the hoop as his fingers rub the orange rim. Somewhere a buzzer is going, and finally he comes out of this state he works up when he plays, somewhere where he can't be disturbed._

"_Scott, hit the showers."_

"_Alright coach, I will eventually!" Nathan moves into the shot, dribbling his basketball with perfect rhythm, throws the ball and gets it into the hoop. He races toward the hoop to retrieve the ball from under the net as his teammate joins him on the court._

"_Yo, Big Time, you got a letter, man." Nathan's teammate waves the envelope containing the letter in the air desperately trying to get Nathan's attention. Nathan can hear his heart beat faster and faster in anticipation._

"_A Letter? From who?"_

"_I don't know." His teammate brings the letter up to his nose smells the letter and smiles his sweet, though devilish smile. "Whoever it is, she smells hot." He hands the letter over to Nathan and steals Nathan's ball, bounces it once and slams it through the hoop. He catches the ball again, walks to Nathan and gives it back. "You better just hope she doesn't meet me."_

"_Yeah, you wish Aaron! How do you know it's not from my mom?"_

"_Well, if what I think you told me is true, she was just in college when she had you, so she can't be that old and she probably is hot." Aaron winked at Nathan._

"_Yeah, I really walked into that one now didn't I."_

"_Yea, so who is it from?_

"_I don't know. The address is typed and there isn't anyway I could know who its from unless I open it." Though he said he didn't know who wrote it to Aaron, Nathan knew who it might be from, and Nathan both wanted and didn't want it to be from her._

"_Yo, Big Time. Are you going to open it or what. Do you want me to get you started?"_

"_No its okay, I'm going to go back to my room and open it if you don't mind." Nathan walked away from Aaron and started toward his dorm room, not even stopping to have a shower before. It slipped from his mind._

_He entered his dorm, through his basketball in the corner chair and laid down on his small single bed. He kept looking at the letter, staring, until his eyes began to water. This wasn't the first letter he had gotten from her, but he hadn't opened any of them._

_He walked over to the dresser in the corner of the room that Nathan occupied. He opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, pulling out jeans and shorts until he found the tattered, Nike shoe box. Nathan pulled out the shoe box and opened it, revealing about ten letters. Silently, he placed the newer letter into the box and closed the lid._

_- -end flashback- -_

Nathan took another drink from the bottle enclosed in his hand and looked around the beach where he had come a few hours before. If he wanted to escape her memory, shouldn't he have gone to the place where they got married.

He picked up one of the small purple flowers that surrounded himself and brought it up to his nose, letting the smell reach his nose as he sighed and laid on the ground.

_- -flashback– _

"_So, Big Time, you hear? We're going out P-A-R-T-Ying tonight!"_

"_Cool. I'm down."_

"_Are you sure? Are you really sure? Cause you know you ain't going to get any ladies with me around you now are you?"_

"_Yea, okay. Most ladies like the big scorer."_

"_And I ain't?"_

"_Course not." Again, Nathan and Aaron laughed. "What time we leaving bro?"_

"_Nine. Meet in the front lobby, all right?"_

"_All right." Nathan and Aaron parted and Nathan went up to his dorm to shower and change to go out. Around nine, Nathan left his room and met up with Aaron and about fifteen more from the team. "Where we headed?"_

"_A friend of a friend's cousin's sister's ex-boyfriend's party. Supposed to be real fun."_

"_At least you know the people." Nathan smirked and they pilled into two vehicles and drove till they arrived at a small house shaking from the loudness of the music._

_The host of the party was at the door, allowing people to come in. "Help yourself, the kegs in the bathtub."_

_Nathan and Aaron headed toward the bathroom and Aaron poured two cups of beer for him and Nathan. Nathan took a long drink and finished it right there in the bathroom. "I know there is a reason that I call you 'Big Time,' but I didn't think you were that fast with a beer."_

"_Just pour me some more." Nathan stuck out the hand that held his cup, and waited until Aaron poured him some more. Nathan took longer to drink it this time, but it wasn't too long until he was back getting some more._

_Nathan lost count of how many he had in a short time span of a few hours, but he was feeling a lot better. He was laughing with his friends when a small blonde caught his eye._

_She smiled sweetly at Nathan, and he smirked back at her. Aaron, having caught this exchange, looked at Nathan. "Damn, how do you always get the best looking ones?"_

"_That's why they call me 'Big Time.'" Nathan left his group and headed over toward the blonde and again smirked. "Hey."_

"_Hey."_

"_I saw that you were watching me."_

"_And here I was, thinking you were watching me."_

"_Guilty, I guess."_

_The blonde smiled again, less sweetly this time and grabbed his arm, leading him slowly up the stairs and pushed open a bedroom door._

_- -end flashback- -_

Haley moved on. She left me, went on an adventure without me and chased her dreams, with Chris Keller. She moved on. So why can't I?

_- -flashback- -_

_The blonde led him up to a bedroom and pushed the door shut. She pushed him against the wall then pushed him onto the bed, sticking her tongue into his mouth. He opened his, inviting her, trying to forget everything else. _

_She pulled of his shirt swiftly, pulling him closer as he ripped off her own shirt and he unhooked her bra. A swift picture of Haley crossed his mind and he pushed her away. _

"_What? What's wrong?" She looked at him curiously and he could see the uncertainty on her face. She was nervous and Nathan realized that she wasn't used to this. _

"_Nothing. It's just I can't do this." _

"_Did I do something wrong? _

"_What? No, no, of course not." Nathan walked over to her handing her bra and shirt to her and she turned around and put them on. "It's just that I'm in love with someone else and I just couldn't do this." _

"_You have a girlfriend?" _

"_Not really. She was my wife, but we are kind of estranged. She left on tour about five months ago and I haven't talked to her since." _

"_So what's the problem? She left you." The blonde began to kiss his neck again and nibbled lightly at his ear. Nathan pushed her away. _

"_The problem is that I still love her. And no matter what, I know she still loves me and this feels like I'm cheating on her. So sorry, I'm leaving." Nathan began to leave. _

"_Fine then, be like her and just leave. If she left, she couldn't appreciate what she had, then she isn't worth the trouble. I say forget her, she isn't worth it." _

_Nathan turned to look at her. "You are just lucky you're a girl. If you weren't, you would be on the floor, pain every where on your body, wishing that I would just kill you. And you might have gotten your wish after what you said about my wife." _

_Nathan slammed the door behind him and ran down the stairs. Aaron found him and came up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. "What's wrong man?" _

"_Did you set this up? That girl?" Aaron looked at Nathan confused. "I can't believe it, this isn't fair, I shouldn't be still hung up on her and should be able to move on but I can't." Nathan pause letting his eyes fill with tears. He turned back to Aaron. "I'm going home." _

"_Nathan—" Nathan pushed Aaron away and walked out of the house and onto the street. He didn't have a car but that didn't stop him. Nathan walked home in silence. _

_- -end flashback- -_

Nathan pulled a large brown envelope out of his bag beside him and pulled out his annulment papers. He looked down at his signature on the top line, and then down at the signature of his wife.

_**I sent her the annulment letters, hoping that I was doing what was right. She wanted to be free again, to move on and follow her dreams, and so do I. But I can't. I love her too much.**_

He brought out a lighter in his pocket and lit the annulment papers, throwing them on the beach and watching as the sides began to burn and turn black.

"I still love you Haley."

_

* * *

It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing - Shania Twain_

_**Awwww! Okay, I'm a hopeless romantic, but don't worry, I'm also a big fan of angst and tragedy, so this won't just be fluff. Anyways, I hope you like the update, if you did, didn't or have some suggestions, just press that little 'go; button at the bottom and make my day. I love your reviews. **_

**_Okay shout outs to my loyal readers from the WB boards, including _**Mose**** ForeverAndAlways14**_ and _**Kelsey**_ who commented here, _**xSmile**_, who read my last story, and my new readers _**OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**_, and _**-T'bite me**_ for reviewing. You guys make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside . . . lol. Please keep up the reviews. And all your questions will be answered soon I promised. As for pairings, I know what they are, you are going have to wait and see!_**

_**-Katie-**_


	3. Your Time Has Come

**Chapter 3 - Your Time Has Come**

_And where I go you'll be there with me, forever you'll be right here with me. I'll meet you there. No matter where life takes me to, I'll meet you there. And even if I need you here, I'll meet you there._

_-- Simple Plan "Meet You There"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**Its quiet. Way too quiet to make this comforting. And yet it is. But then again, it isn't that quiet. There is the rustling of the leaves and the howling of the wind here to comfort me in this dark and depressing place. Maybe they are the only comfort I deserve.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Peyton Sawyer was lying in her bed when her door bell rang off in the distance. She jumps out of her bed, thinking it might be Jake coming home, rushes down the stairs and goes straight to the front door._

_She swings it open, revealing the blonde women, Ellie, she met a couple of days ago. "I know it's late. I-I-," Ellie says before being interrupted._

"_You're right,… it is late." Peyton paused. "As a matter of fact, it's half past the crazy bitch so leave me alone!" She goes to close the door, but Ellie stops her._

"_Peyton, I can explain."_

"_Explain what? That you're a stalker,… or that you're insane and you've been sending me creepy e-mails!"_

"_I didn't send you anything."_

"_Yeah, right." Sarcasm was dripping from every word Peyton said before she turned serious quickly. "I called your supposed magazine; they've never even heard of you."_

_Ellie pauses for awhile, contemplating what to say to the girl standing infront of her, until she finally decides to come clean. "My name is Elizabeth."_

"_Great, so even your name is a lie."_

"_Like your middle name: Elizabeth." She pauses, watching Peyton for any sudden movements as well as a reaction. "It's where you got your middle name."_

_Peyton stood there, too shocked for words until she is able to choke out, "Who are you?"_

"_I'm your mother."_

_- -end flashback- -_

Peyton Sawyer walked silently though the secluded area, dodging the monuments that covered the green grass around her. The trees above her blocked the sun, and although it was sunny, warm and a nice day outside, she shivered uncontrollably.

When she reached the monument of particular interest, she sat down and stared at the tombstone, placing the bouquet of flowers she had down on the grave.

Peyton traced the letters that spelled out 'Anna Rebecca' on the tombstone as she felt tears soaking her cheeks. "Hey Mom. Sorry I haven't been visiting much lately. I guess . . . I guess I was just really busy getting to know my biological mother. The one you never told me about."

_- -flashback- -_

_Larry Sawyer sits down beside his daughter and pulls her in a hug beside him. "So Peyton, how has the summer been?"_

_Flashbacks of her time in California came sweeping into her mind and she pulled away and turned on her father. "I went to California."_

_Larry looked at her confused. "Why?"_

"_I went to see Brooke at her new home there." Peyton paused and tried to keep her tears at bay. This wasn't like her. "Guess who else I saw there?"_

"_Who? Oh, let me guess, let me guess. . . was it Paris Hilton?"_

"_Close. Actually it was biological mother Ellie. And I also saw my brother and adoptive sister. Aren't they just one happy family?"_

"_Peyton—"_

"_Are they?"_

"_What?"_

"_Is this woman my mother?"_

_Larry pauses and looks at Peyton. "Your mom is gone, Peyton. You know that." Peyton looks down as Larry sighs. "But, your biological mother is alive."_

_Peyton breathes in a lot of air and exhales painfully. "What about my Father?"_

"_I never knew your father. We only met Ellie. We asked that she not make contact with you unless you requested it."_

"_Why didn't you tell me? You could have just said, 'oh yea, Peyton. You're adopted.' How hard could that have been? You lied to me for seventeen years! You had seventeen years to tell me that I was adopted, and didn't!"_

"_Honey, we were gonna tell you. Your mother and me. Together. But, when she died, I guess I didn't want to confuse your grief and I felt so powerless that I couldn't protect you from losing her."_

"_How am I supposed to believe you? After all these years of lying to me, how am I supposed to believe you know?"_

_- -end flashback- -_

"I guess though I can't really be mad at you though. Dad says so. I just wanted to know why you wouldn't tell me something that big. Tell me I had two mothers. Maybe even two siblings."

_- -flashback- -_

"_What?" Peyton stood there looking between Ellie eating at the table and Greg standing there by the fridge with some pop in his hand._

"_Peyton. Ellie's my mom."_

"_No, she can't be!"_

_Greg looked at her confused at her sudden outburst at him. Sure, he had seen Peyton snap at Quinn, but Greg was trying hard to stay on her good side. Peyton gave off the impression that she wasn't someone you should mess with. _

"_She can't be, she just can't!"_

"_Why not?"_

"_She is your step-mom right? Yea, that's it, just like Quinn, right? Your step-mom." _

_Greg was starting to get angry. This girl knew nothing about him and she was jumping to conclusions about Greg, all because of Quinn. He was just Quinn's little brother, he had to be adopted to. "No! Ellie's my mother, my biological mother! Quinn is the only one adopted!" _

_Peyton could feel tears form in her eyes and slid down her cheeks as she spun around and left the kitchen. She could hear Ellie call her name and it made her move faster until she was in the livingroom with everyone else, stopping briefly before running out of the house._

_- -end flashback- -_

"Maybe you protecting me from Ellie was a good thing. Dad and Ellie both said that she was using drugs when she gave me up for adoption. She was more interested in drugs then a child."

"I really can't complain though can I. Quinn's life was kind of messed up before Ellie took her in as her own, and Greg has never had a father. Lucky me, I got two wonderful parents to raise me, while others out there don't even have one."

_- -flashback- -_

"_Why did you keep them and not me?"_

"_When I found out I was pregnant with Greg, flashbacks of what I had to go through with you came sweeping back to me. I gave you up and I knew I didn't want to do that again. So I kept him. Then when a friend couldn't take care of Quinn, I offered to, seeing as she was the same age as you, and I felt maybe I did the right thing."_

"_Why?"_

"_Well, Quinn's mother and I have been friends for a long time. We both became pregnant around the same time, but when I gave you up for adoption, Quinn's mother kept her. When I gained custody of her, I could see years of neglect. I'm glad I gave you up for adoption, if that meant you had a loving family. And I knew that your parents gave you that environment._

"_I don't know what to say." Peyton collected her thoughts and looked down allowing her tears to fall before she looked back at Ellie. Peyton smiled and hugged Ellie. "Thank you."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"Although I can understand why she wanted to see me, be able to see how I'm doing and maybe even call me her daughter. Dying and all right?"

_- -flashback- -_

_The door bell rang softly and Larry looked at his daughter one last time before he left her room to answer the door. Peyton followed him softly, and sat at the top of the stairs to see who the visitors were._

_Larry pulled opened the door, revealing Ellie, Greg and Quinn standing on the porch on the other side of the door._

_Peyton gasped and ran back to her room and Larry turned to Ellie. "What do you want?"_

"_Larry, listen to me. I need to talk to all of you. I know I promised I wouldn't see her before she requested it but I have to talk to her and tell her, everyone, something big."_

_Ellie noticed that Peyton reappeared at the top of the stairs, evident that she was listening to Ellie's speech. "Fine." Larry led Ellie and the three teenagers to the livingroom and they sat down on the sofa as Ellie stood._

"_I'm sorry, but I have to tell you something that might change everything." She paused and looked between the faces of her two biological children and adopted child. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I'm dying."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"I wish though that she would have come and found me before she became sick. Maybe then I would have had more time with her."

"Peyton?" She turned around to face a blonde hair boy, his eyes matching the very ones that watched him. Ellie's eyes. "You're Dad said you would be here. Talking to the dead I see."

Peyton laughed lightly. "Yea. All the time. Don't you?"

"Now. Once and while I would talk to my friend who was killed in a car accident. Started talking more often when Ellie died."

_- -flashback- -_

_The red and blue flickering light of the police cars and the siren of the newly appeared ambulance filled Peyton with emotion._

_She watched silently with Greg on one side, and Brooke on the other side, as the paramedics ran into the house, into the back bedroom, to where the occupant had died, peacefully in her sleep, listening to a old record of hers._

_- -end flashback- -_

"Yea. Me too." Peyton paused until a smile slowly crept across her face. "Now I have two people to talk to. I'm going to make people think I'm crazy."

Greg laughed, laying down on the deep green grass and looking into the trees and though them to the clouds in the perfect blue sky. "Peyton?" He paused and waited until Peyton made a gesture that she was listening. "Do you believe in angels?"

"Yea. Don't you?"

"Yea. Now at least. I don't know, but once and awhile I sometimes fell like Ellie is right beside me, standing there watching me. Is that weird?"

"No. I fell it all the time. But now I have two of them watching over me."

"Do you think Quinn feels it too?"

_- -flashback- -_

"_Well now what?" Greg looked between Peyton and Ellie as they broke apart._

"_The doctors say I have about a month left, so I want to live here until then and I want you three to get to know each other."_

"_What? No way!" Quinn jumped up from her position on the couch. "You can't be serious! You are going to move me and Greg all the way out here on the east coast just so you can make it up to the girl that you gave up for adoption seventeen years ago? That's not fair."_

"_Quinn—"_

"_No, this isn't fair. I have a life over there in California, friends, a boyfriend, and my mother. You just expect me to throw it all away for some stranger."_

"_Fine. Just stay here until I'm gone, please."_

_Quinn looked at Ellie and nodded, although evidence that she was disappointed was written all over her face. Quinn stayed throughout the whole struggle, jealous of Ellie and Peyton's relationship, and Greg's sudden favor of Peyton over herself._

_She stayed until the end, the night they found Ellie. But the day after the funeral, when Greg went to check on her in her bedroom, she was gone._

_- -end flashback- -_

"I'm sure she can." Peyton paused, pulling her brother closer in for a hug before she pulled him up. "Let's go home. I'm sure Larry will have some sort of food done for supper. Plus he leaves again at the end of the week. He will want to spend every waken moment with us. You think you could handle it, little brother?"

"Sure can, big sister, as long as you wont leave me too."

"Never."

* * *

_Your Time Has Come - Audioslave_

**_Okay, I realize that this might be a bit unbelievable with Peyton, considering how long it took for her to warm up to Ellie in season three, but I really like this chapter. I especially liked the Greg and Peyton relationship, plus the last line. Hope you like it as much as I do. Please just go press that little button down there and write to me, even just to say "nice work" or "I hate it." But if you do say the last one, please tell me how to make it better. You guys are the reason I continue! Thanks!_**

_**Okay now for reader shout outs:**_

CHEERYnBROODY**_ - if anyone else was wondering, yes Brooke will be in this story, the next chapter to be exact but not a lot because nothing big really happened to her._**

Mosie1213**_ - thanks Mose for the reviews! You are awesome taking time out of writing your own story to reply to my story, no matter what website I post it on... thanks again, I'm going to comment over on your story now! lol!_**

OTH.daddy'sgurl.06**_ - I did feel all warm and fuzzy when you posted a comment! Hopefully you will when you post a comment on this one!_**

**_Also thank you to_** lucasluvforever, naleyfan165, Duckygirl**_, and_** NaLeYBaBiixo **_for also replying to my story... please keep reviewing! _**

**_Until next time,_**

**_Keep Rocking The Free World!_**

**_-Katie-_**


	4. The Trouble With Love Is

**Chapter 4 - The Trouble With Love Is**

"_I don't mind spending everyday, out on your corner in the pouring rain. Look for the girl with the broken smile. Ask her if she wants to stay awhile. And she will be loved."_

_- -Maroon 5 "She Will Be Loved"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**I thought if I ended up liking someone else, date someone else, that this ache inside my heart would go away. Unfortunately, she had other plans.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Erica stares out on the water and looks back onto Mouth. "I love summer vacation. The beach, the ocean, my boyfriend." She looks at Mouth as he laughs lightly. "Lets head down and go for a swim."_

"_Okay"_

_Erica pulls off her tank-top and shorts to reveal a bright pink bikini. "Okay, lets go." Erica turns around and starts to head toward the ocean but swiftly turns around. "Oh, sun screen!" Erica reaches into her bag and searches around it until she finds it. "Will you get my back baby?"_

"_Okay." Mouth takes the sun screen from Erica and after she lays down on the blanket, he starts rubbing the sun screen on her back. "You're really hot."_

"_I know. The sun is blazing."_

"_That too. Okay, done."_

"_Thanks. Now, if you lose that shirt, I'll do you."_

"_Um, you know, I think I'll just hang out here and read up on the broadcasting camp stuff."_

"_You sure?"_

"_Yea. I mean, it's the biggest camp in Los Angeles and I want to be prepared."_

_Erica gently sits down beside Mouth without making a sound and stares into his eyes. "Hey Mouth, can I talk to you?"_

"_Sure."_

"_You know how we're going to be apart this summer?"_

"_Here it comes."_

"_Do you still want to date while you're away?"_

"_Do you?"_

"_I don't know. It's just that, I know you're going to California and I know that you had feelings for Brooke." She paused. "And I can't see why she wouldn't have feelings for you. So I just thought that would want to leave your options open. I think that it's the best for both of us. Maybe when we get back to school after the summer we could start again if you want."_

_Mouth watched helplessly as tears started to brim at Erica's eyes. She placed one final kiss on his lips and got up to walk to the water. All Mouth could do was watch._

_- -end flashback- -_

_**Don't get me wrong, I didn't use her just to make the other girl jealous. She would never be jealous, because I'm just a little brother to her. She would never love me like I love her.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Mouth grabbed his things at the airport and headed towards the front doors, looking for his family waiting for him. What he found was a blonde standing there, tears streaming down her face._

"_Mouth." Erica ran up toward Mouth and threw her two arms around his neck in a hug. Mouth stood paralyzed, couldn't believe that this was the same girl who had broken his heart just a few short weeks ago. "How was your trip?" _

_Mouth pushed Erica away. "What are you doing here Erica?"_

"_I wanted to see you Mouth, I missed you."_

_Mouth began to walk toward the front door, pushing Erica aside as he went. "Where are you going Mouth?"_

"_I'll find my own way home, thank you very much. I wouldn't want to deprive you of your precious time with your surfer boyfriend."_

_Erica ran after Mouth and grabbed his arm. "What are you talking about?"_

"_We are broken up, Erica, you did the breaking. You broke up with me Erica, to be with that stupid surfer guy and now that he probably left when summer was over, so now you want me back!"_

"_I didn't break up with you to be with Jack."_

"_That's his name? Jack? You know his name, you know which one I was talking about? Bet you had fun hooking up with him while I was away in California!"_

"_So what you do in California? You hook up with Brooke?" Erica's eyes began to fill with new tears as she looked at Mouth, his face flushed._

"_I didn't even see Brooke."_

"_What?"_

"_I told you it wasn't about Brooke. Yea, I have had feelings for her but she likes Lucas, she might even be in love with him. What would she want with me?" Mouth pushed by Erica and kept walking even with Erica yelling at him to stop. He kept walking, dragging his suitcase behind him._

_Mouth kept walking and walking until he found himself at the rivercourt. He laid down his suitcase, using it as a pillow as he laid down and searches his mind. He still really liked Erica, but Erica had broken his heart once before, could he really trust her with it again?_

"_Hey Mouth." Mouth looks up at a known drug dealer named Josh Michael that he had met here when Erica had broken up with him, standing before him. "You know that my offer of some joints is still open even though you rejected them last time."_

"_No thanks, I'm not interested in that stuff." Mouth watches as Josh brings the bottle of beer in his left hand toward his mouth and take a long, hard drink from it, downing it quickly. "Do you have anymore of that though?"_

"_Nope. I'll get you a case though. You probably don't have fake ID anyway right?" Mouth nodded, then wished he hadn't. "I'll be right back." Josh started to leave but backtracked, taking another bear out of his coat pocket. "Here." He handed it to Mouth and winked. 'To get you started."_

_Mouth took the bottle and looked at it, memories of Erica coming back to him with memories of his first broken heart. He twisted off the lid and brought the rim of the bottle to his lips but then paused, raising it into the air like he was about to make a toast. "This is to you two girls who ruined my life." The bottle came back to his lips and he took a long drink._

_- -end flashback- -_

Mouth McFadden was laying on his bed in his light blue room that hadn't been painted since he was a baby. He held a letter in his hand, a crumpled piece of paper that Erica had given him when he was in the hospital.

_- -flashback- -_

_Mouth had his eyes closed, trying desperately to go back to his dream world where he felt no pain from the last couple of months. Sleeping was the only escape from the pain and as he awoke with his eyes closed, the pain came seeping back._

_Mouth could feel pressure on his right-hand laying on the bed, like someone was holding it with their own hand. He tried desperately to keep them closed tight, but his eyes fluttered open to reveal a blonde sitting beside his bed, tears streaming down her face._

"_Hey Mouth. How do you feel?"_

"_Well Erica, I feel like shit. Thanks for reminding me."_

_Erica leaned back in her chair, a new wave of tears coming over her. "I'm sorry Mouth." Erica whispered as she looked down at the floor._

"_What are you sorry for Erica?"_

"_I'm sorry for doing this to you. I'm so sorry."_

_Mouth looked at her and sat up in bed. "Don't flatter yourself Erica. You aren't the only fucked up thing in my life."_

_Erica looked back at Mouth. "Are you talking about Brooke?"_

"_Don't." Mouth looked away from Erica, and looked around the hospital room at the flowers and cards around the room. "How long have I been here?"_

"_A few hours, not too long."_

"_How did I get here?"_

"_I found you. You were at the River Court."_

_Mouth looked away again. "You can go now, Erica. Thank you, but I'm fine now. You can go. You don't want to keep your boyfriend waiting."_

"_Mouth—"_

"_Please, just go."_

"_Please. Listen to me." Erica looked toward Mouth and when he made no response, Erica decided to continue. "I know you are mad at me, and I deserve it. But I am sorry and I wish I could change it. I didn't date anyone while you were away. Mouth. I am sorry. I know that I won't get forgiveness soon, but I hope with sometime you will forgive me and look back at this and laugh."_

"_I doubt it." Erica reaches out for Mouth's hand and places a piece of paper in his hand softly. Mouth looks up at her. "What is this?"_

"_Just read it, Mouth. When I'm gone."_

_- -end flashback- -_

There was a knock at his door and he turned to look up as a brunette entered his room, a smile grazing her mouth. "Hey Mouth."

"Hey Brooke."

She jumped onto his bed before sighing. "So my parents are making me move into my old house with my excuse for a cousin Rachel."

_- -flashback- -_

"_Do you think we could stop at my old house? I want to see if the new people have done anything to it yet." Peyton nodded and turned the car quickly down a side street and parked the black car in front of the large white house. Peyton watched Brooke to make sure she was okay. Everything was the same from when Brooke and her family had lived there except for one thing: the red door was now brown._

"_Oh-my-god." Peyton turned toward Brooke, but not before she had seen the door open and a red head exit the newly painted door._

"_Brooke—." But Peyton had been to late as Brooke opened her door and slammed it behind her, not taking her eyes off the red head. "Brooke!"_

_Brooke ignored her friend and walked right up to the red head. The red head had finally turned around and seen Brooke and Peyton and stood there looking at Brooke._

"_What the hell are you doing here in my house?"_

_The red head looked her up and down. "This is your house? Wow. That really explains the bad taste in decor." Peyton grabbed Brooke's arm before she could hit the red head as the red head stood there laughing. "Let her hit me! She always lost when we were kids."_

"_I did not! You were always weaker." Brooke glared at the red head, wishing she could just wrap her hands around her skinny neck and break her fake nose._

"_What?" Peyton looked between the two girls, confused._

_Brooke sighed at Peyton. "Peyton this is my cousin Rachel, Rachel this is Peyton." Brooke indicated to them and the girls shook hands while Rachel smirked._

"_So, Peyton, are you supposed to be Brooke's girlfriend or something? I didn't think she swung that way, she always seemed guy crazy."_

"_Shut the hell up Rachel."_

"_Wow, didn't get a lot of sleep last night now did you? Your mom said that you were driving home from California. Didn't know you were so bitchy in the morning though."_

"_What the hell are you doing in my house Rachel?"_

"_Okay, okay. Brooke is not in a joking mood today. Not usually up by noon?"_

"_Don't vampires only come out at night?"_

"_Ouch, that hurt." Rachel smiled as she looked between the two girls. "Mommy and Daddy bought the house. Thought it would be better if I lived in one city until I graduated. And since your parents said how nice Tree Hill was, here we are."_

"_Yea. In my house."_

"_Well, technically, its my house. When I get rid of the hideous decor that is. Can you image waking up to that kind of decor everyday._

"_Shut up Rachel."_

"_Well, actually, I guess the house is yours too. When are you moving in?"_

"_What?"_

"_Well that's what your mom said. You are living with us. She said it was one of the conditions of moving back to Tree Hill to finish your senior year."_

"_No way! Out of the question! That will not happen in a million years! I will never share my house with you!" Brooke stormed away and Peyton quickly followed her._

_As Peyton pulled away from the curb she glanced sideways to look at Brooke and Brooke looked pissed off. Brooke sighed. "I really hate her."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"So do you think you could help me move my things? Pretty please?"

"Yea sure, just one second."

Brooke smiled and moved out of the room as Mouth jumped out of bed and turned to Erica's letter in his hand. **_To open or not to open? That is the question._**

In the end he opened the letter and read; _'I'm really sorry Mouth, for hurting you and everything. I wish I wouldn't have but maybe it's for the best. I'm going away and I'm not sure if I'll ever come back. But Brooke is always there and I can't see her not loving you like you love her. Take a chance Mouth. She just might surprise you. Love Erica._'

He sighed, placed the letter under his mattress. "Come on Mouth!" He ran out of the room and joined Brooke in the living-room and she wrapped her arm around his, smiling. "Finally!"

* * *

**_Alright, what do you guys think about this chapter. If I'm going to fast, please just tell me and I can clear anything up._**

**_Thank you to OTH.daddy'sgurl.06, lucasluvforever, naleyfan165 and OTHlover04 for reviewing... you people are the reason I keep updating!_**

**_Keep Rocking The Free World_**

**_-Katie-_**


	5. The Music or The Misery

**Chapter 5 - The Music or The Misery**

"_I'd give up all these dreams, to have you in my arms right now. I'd give up everything and I'd forget it. It wasn't on a mountain, when it came to me. All my life's been wasted, chasing shallow dreams."_

_-- Good Charlotte "Mountain"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_**I thought I was making the right decision. Okay, maybe not, but I had to take the chance, didn't I? How many times can you say that The Wreckers want you to tour with them.**_

_- -flashback- -_

_Nathan and Haley quickly enter the apartment, and Nathan turns toward Haley. "You know, now that Taylor's leaving, maybe we'll have enough hot water for our own showers." _

_Haley smiles and closes the door. She eyes him a couple of times before climbing onto the counter with a sigh. She hugs him sadly. Nathan asks, "Haley, what's wrong?" as she lets go of him._

"_Um… Michelle Branch likes my voice. She thinks I could be a singer. A real one." Haley watches as a smile spreads across his face. "Chris said that she wants me on tour." It hurts when she sees Nathan's smile drop. "I'm so far ahead with classes and I'd be back in time for finals."_

_Nathan nods but Haley knows that he doesn't approve of this. "So says the great Chris."_

"_No, this isn't about him, Nathan. This is about… opportunity. I have, my entire life, been the reliable one and the dependable one and I've always done… precisely what's expected of me."_

"_Till we got married."_

"_And then I finally did something for me… something that I wanted… and the world didn't end." She smiles sadly before taking a deep breath and continues on. "And I have that chance again."_

_Nathan raises his eyebrows, Haley notices and it makes her heart break. "If you leave me."_

_She gasps. "This is not the end for us. This is my shot to find out if I am good enough to have a life in music. Or if nights at TRIC are all I get."_

"_And this has nothing to do with Chris?"_

_Quietly she answers, "No. Absolutely not."_

_He snorts softly. "Then why haven't you asked me to come with you?" Haley doesn't answer, not really sure how to answer but he continues anyway, his voice broken. "Did you kiss him?"_

"_Yes." Haley watches as Nathan breaks, showing that he is beyond hurt and she wraps her hands around his neck. "I'm sorry. You have to believe me. That's not what this is about. Nathan—"_

"_Haley, listen; if you wanna go, you should go." He pauses breathing deeply. "If you do…" He steps back, away from Haley, "we're done." Haley gasps as Nathan turns and leaves the apartment._

_- -end flashback-_ -

Haley James Scott steered the wheel toward the highschool she had spent almost three years of her previous life attending. But that life was gone. Changed really. She remembered last year it had been her and Lucas against the world.

A lot had changed since then. Basketball games and practices began eating up their water balloon fights and mini-golf dates. A new life of popularity and new friends and significant others left no time for the best friends to hang-out anymore. And plus, she was a married woman now. But maybe it still is them against the world.

_- -flashback- -_

_There was a knock at the hotel room door and Haley moved to open it. She swung the door open slowly, revealing the tall, blonde best friend in the doorway. Haley sees the tears in his eyes and she can feel them collecting in her own as she smiled, a real one since she left. "Lucas?"_

_He grabs her and pulls her into a huge hug that they hold for a moment till Lucas pulls away from Haley. "Haley? Are you Pregnant?"_

_- -end flashback-_ -

_**Lucas Scott. More like Captain Obvious. How could someone showing that much, not to mention wearing some tight pajamas, not be pregnant? Okay, possible. But he knows I have an awesome metabolism.**_

She runs her fingers through her matted hair, moving it out of her eyes before resting it on her small pregnant stomach.

_- -flashback- -_

_The ticking of the clock hanging on the wall was driving Haley crazy. The insane sound, so irritating, caused Haley to develop a splitting headache in its wake, that she closed her eyes._

_Haley guessed she was almost six months pregnant since it was the last time she and Nathan were together, but yet this was the first time she had been to see a doctor. It was Lucas who had finally pushed her, to make sure the baby was healthy._

"_We are ready for you now, Mrs. Scott."_

"_Alright."_

_Haley stared at the insane little clock on the wall before Haley followed the nurse, heading toward the little rooms in the back. She sat down and the nurse told her the doctor would be with her momentarily._

_Haley laid down and closed her eyes again. The tour and pregnancy were starting to take a toll on her as she couldn't sleep anymore on the tour bus and her morning sickness was terrible. _

_Haley moved into a state of dreaming when the doctor came in. "Well, Mrs. Scott, it seems you were right, you are about six months along. The little baby should be born around December 13 this year." Haley sat strait up, trying to pretend she hadn't been sleeping, but the doctor noticed. "Oh, not getting a lot of sleep?"_

_Haley sighed, "No, not really."_

"_You only have a few more months until you have the baby, you have to take it easy. You don't want to hurt the baby now do you?"_

"_No, but I don't really have a choice."_

"_Haley—"_

"_I'm on tour right now. Not even my own tour, an opening act. I can't just take it easy."_

"_Try. That is all I am asking of you. Just try to take it easy until the baby is born, for your baby's sake."_

"_Okay."_

_The doctor smiled. "Alright. You know what you are doing with the baby?_

_Haley looked at the doctor, stared blankly at her. "Keeping it."_

"_Alright. If you change your mind–"_

"_I won't."_

"_Okay. I understand. Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" Haley nodded to the doctor yes. "Alright. Haley, you are having a baby girl."_

_- -end flashback- -_

This little person inside of her, her baby girl, caused Haley to return to the place that she had called home her entire life. Even though there was nothing left for her here. Her parents were gone, Nathan didn't love her anymore. **_Nathan doesn't love me. So why am I here?_**

_- -flashback- -_

"_I found out right when I got on tour. I thought about going home Luke but Nathan wants nothing to do with me anymore, he wants an annulment. So I stayed here."_

"_Why can't you go home? If you want to go home, and Nathan wants you home, why can you guys get over your pride and be together?"_

_Haley looked at him, anger evident on her face and she steamed as she answered him. "You want to know why I can't go home now? Because my parents no longer live in Tree Hill, there is nowhere where I can live. Anyways, how do you expect me to raise a child going to school and working at the café? I can't raise a child on that salary!"_

"_What about Nathan. If this is his child too. Why can't he do something to help you? He can help you raise the baby, help to pay for what you need for the baby. It is both of yours!"_

"_But I don't want Nathan that way."_

_Lucas looked at Haley, deep into her brownish eyes that had let go of the waterworks that she had been holding in for so long. "What?"_

"_Lucas. Listen to me. I still love Nathan, you know that right? But I don't want him to love me because he thinks he has to for the baby. I want him to love me for me, be with me because he wants to, not because of duty. Look at his parents, Lucas, they ended up resenting each other because they stayed together for Nathan. I don't want that."_

"_It wont happen. I know it wont."_

"_How do you know Lucas? Do you hold the future in your hands?"_

"_Well, no, but I just know. You and Nathan were destined to be together. You are perfect for each other and love each other with all your hearts."_

_Haley snorted at Lucas. "Yea, right. All this from someone who didn't want us to date in the first place?"_

"_Well I was wrong. I saw you two together, saw what you see in Nathan and I can understand that you two love each other. I was glad you didn't take my advice and stay away from Nathan. I got to see what true love really was."_

_Haley stared, disbelieving him, at Lucas and answered before walking into her bedroom, leaving him in the main room. "If it was really true love, then it can survive this."_

_- -end flashback-_ -

She parked the car in the parking lot, not too far that she couldn't see, but far enough that she wouldn't be seen. She didn't want to talk to them, just watch them. She knew that it sounded stalker-ish, but she didn't care. It was hard enough with Lucas.

_- -flashback- -_

_Lucas was the first to wake up the next morning, sleeping on the floor where he was laying last night talking to Haley. Lucas noticed Haley laying on the couch, part of her expanding stomach showing. Lucas dares to place his hand on the bare spot, rubbing the baby's home and was overwhelmed when he realized what it meant for him. He removed his hand as Haley started to stir._

_Haley opened her eyes and look up to see Lucas looking over her. "Morning."_

"_Morning Hales." Lucas fights to keep the tears back as Haley sits up, concerned to find out what is wrong with her best friend._

"_What's wrong Lucas?"_

"_It's nothing. It's just . . . you have a little person growing inside of you, my best friend is going to have a baby in four months. I'm going to be an uncle in four months." Lucas smiled but the tears continued to fall._

_Haley's eyes began to water too as she laughed. "Lucas, you are just like me when I found out, sad but also happy. You are going to be an awesome uncle. It was too bad that your mom only had you because you would have been the best brother anyone could ever wish for. I'm only your friend, but you have been the best friend I have ever had."_

"_Thanks Hales." Lucas wipes away a tear before Haley continues._

"_You are a best friend and one of the best brothers I could wish for. I love you so much and don't know what I would do without you." _

"_You will never be without me. I'll always be there for you." Haley and Lucas embrace and sit there for hours next to each other, enjoying the company without any words._

_- -end flashback-_ -

Haley stopped breathing when she noticed Nathan walking toward the front doors of the high school. He didn't look to different from when she last saw him, those many months ago. Maybe a bit tired, maybe a little hung-over, but that was the Nathan she fell for last year.

_- -flashback- -_

_Early in the morning Haley was sitting at one of the benches on the Market dock, her books out and studying when he finally walks up towards her, smiling like crazy. "Breakfast of champions. Want some?"_

"_You're late."_

_Nathan sighs, takes off his backpack, sits down and opens up a cracker jack box, taking out a small package. "Please let this be a cheat sheet." He instead takes a tacky bracelet out of the package. "It's for you."_

_Haley, unamused, says, "Stop it."_

_Nathan smiles his signature smile and replies, "Come on." As Haley sighs, Nathan slips the bracelet onto her wrist. "Don't say I never gave you anything."_

_- -end flashback-_ -

Haley returns from her memories, just in time to see a red head come up behind Nathan and slip her arm around Nathan, giving him a kiss on his cheek. The curtain of tears blocks Haley's view as she pulls out of the parking lot.

As she reaches the highway and pulls on, her crying makes her shake violently and she continues to struggle to see the road in front of herself.

All of a sudden there was a honk and Haley looks up to see she is going to hit another car in the other lane. She quickly swerves, just missing the traffic in the other lane, and pulls into the ditch.

As she breathes heavy, her little baby girl kicks her viciously, telling her to pay attention, not take her eyes off the road again and risk both of their lives. Haley lays her hand on her stomach and says, "Sorry, baby."

_**I love Nathan. I know that. But he moved on and I have other things to worry about, like our baby growing inside of me. She is my main priority now, and if Nathan wants to go around fucking some red head, that is just fine with me. Okay, a lie, but he isn't mine anymore.

* * *

**_

_The Music or The Misery - Fall Out Boy_

_**This story is behind my other story on betterthencw boards so I'm updating again. I'm really tired right now so I will keep this short and sweet. Please press the button down at the bottom and submit a review, because if I don't get anymore reviews, there isn't a point for me to keep it on this site while I have most of my friends reading this on the betterthencw boards. So please post a comment on here if you want me to continue writing it, because only Mose posted a comment on the last chapter.**_

_**Keep Rocking The Free World**_

_**-Katie-**_


	6. Me Against The World

**Chapter 6 - Me Against The World**

"_Here comes the rain again, falling from the stars. Drenched in my pain again, becoming who we are. As my memory rests but never forgets what I lost. Wake me up when September ends. Summer has come and passed, the innocent can never last. Wake me up when September ends."_

_- - Green Day "Wake Me Up When September Ends"_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The pushing and shoving made moving through the halls difficult, especially if, like Marissa, you didn't know you way around the school yet. She moved down the nearest hall, trying to find her classroom when she walked strait into another girl.

"Oh-my-god, I'm so, so, so sorry for running into you like that. I'm really not that big of a klutz, believe me."

"No problem." The girl that Marissa had run into had light brown hair and light coloured eyes, though Marissa wasn't sure what colour they were. "Hey. You new here?"

"Yea. Apparently everyone can tell whether I'm new or not. Do I have some flashing light on me, or a big billboard out on the highway somewhere saying 'look here, this girl is new'." The brunette laughed and stuck out her right hand.

"My name is Winnie."

"Marissa. Wait." Marissa looked at her confused and holding in a laugh. "You mean as in the bear?"

"Shut Up. Its better then my full name," she stated seriously. When Marissa looked like she was going to ask what her full name was, she quickly said, "Don't ask."

Marissa laughed and was able to say, "okay."

Winnie smiled at Marissa until a look of enlightenment crossed her face. "So if you are new I better give you the 411. Welcome to Tree Hill High, rumor capital of the whole world."

"You serious?"

"Unfortunately, yes. First step for survival in this town would be to stay clear of drama or those who seem to attract said drama," Winnie points to a tall blonde guy nearby and smiles, "like him. If you stay away from him, then you will have no trouble in this school."

Marissa giggles lightly and replies, "that may be a problem."

The blonde comes up to the two girls and smirks at Winnie. "Did I hear that you are advising newbies to stay clear of drama filled me?"

"Hi Lucas."

"So wait." Winnie and Lucas turn to Marissa who is trying hard not to laugh. "You want me to stay away from the boy and you already know him? Sneaky, very sneaky. Want the boy all to yourself don't you."

Winnie blushes slightly and shakes her head. "Lucas, Marissa, Marissa, Lucas." Lucas and Marissa exchange glances, trying hard not to laugh, although Winnie doesn't notices. "Lucas is a friend of my brother's, Mouth."

"Hey, I have to go. I'll see you around." Lucas leaves and starts to follow another blonde girl with short curly hair.

"Mouth? Does your whole family have weird names?" Marissa laughs lightly before continuing. "Thanks for the advice anyway, though staying away from Lucas might be a problem."

"Why?"

"Well, it might be because Lucas is my brother and we actually live under the same roof."

Instead of confusion on Winnie's face, or even a outburst of 'oh-my-god", Winnie just replied, "go figure I would do something like that." Marissa laughed with Winnie, and then the confusion came upon her. "Wait, I didn't know Karen had another child."

"Actually, we are siblings through our father. Dan Scott is my father too."

"Yea. You and half the town." Winnie laughed again, but Marissa seemed confused for a second, though realized Winnie was probably referring to that Dan had three children, by three different women, all in about three years. "What class do you have first?"

"Uh, Biology."

"Me too. I'll show you where it is." As they begin to walk, Winnie spots another student looking around, apparently lost. "Just a second." She walks toward the boy with blonde hair and hazel eyes. "Newbie?" He nods. "Biology?" He nods again and Winnie sticks out her hand like she did earlier with Marissa. "I'm Winnie and that Marissa."

"Greg."

"Well Greg, we better be getting to class before the bell rings. Mrs. Charlton can be a bitch if you arrive late." Winnie started to move toward the science wing with Marissa and Greg following close behind.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey Mc Hottie!" Nathan turned around just in time as a redhead threw her arm around him and pulled him close to herself. "What's going on?"

Nathan looked at her confused, and spat out, "what did you call me?"

She smiled back at him, almost like a smirk, but like she was trying to hide it and replied, "Mc Hottie. Haven't you ever seen 'Grey's Anatomy'?" When Nathan shook his head no, she continued, her smile becoming wider and wider. "Well, the really hot doctor there is called Mc Dreamy. There is also Mc Steamy, Mc Vet, and even Mc Dog. So, my name for you is Mc Hottie."

"Wonderful."

The redhead registered that he wasn't interested in flirting back and forth with her, but she wasn't about to be defeated. "My name is Rachel."

"Oh, that explains a lot. You are Brooke's cousin that I was warned to stay away from."

"She is warning people to stay away from me?" Instead of a disappointed look that Nathan expected, she seemed quite happy. "So, Mc Hottie, what's your real name?"

He hesitated, then realized that she could ask anyone in this school who he was and get an answer, plus his life story. "Nathan."

"Scott?"

**_Great._** "Yea."

"Oh. So, I know I really shouldn't believe everything I hear here, apparently as Brooke has told me about this town, but are you the married one?"

Nathan breathed in and replied, clenching his fist. "Separated."

"Awesome." Rachel smiled her now famous smirk at him and whispered low so he couldn't hear her. "Let the games begin."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Peyton!"

The blonde haired, hazel eyed girl turned to face a blonde boy running up behind her, a smiled spread across her face. "Hey Luke. You shouldn't be running up to me like that, people would think you're desperate."

"Not that desperate." She playfully swatted him as he continued, "how you doing?"

_- -flashback- -_

_A soft knock sounded off his door that lead to the outside world and he looked at his clock on his bedside table. It read 3:02. Confused, he moved to the door and opened it, revealing a blonde girl, tears streaking down her face._

"_Peyton—?"_

"_She's gone. She's gone. She's gone—" Lucas pulled her into a large hug and she placed her head on his shoulder, sobbing into his neck, repeating it over and over._

_He pulled her down with him as he sat on his bed, her tears still soaking his shoulder. As the sobs began to subside, she fell asleep. Lucas laid her down in his bed, pulling the covers over her and tucking her in, glad to finally see that she was peaceful._

_He called her dad, telling him where she was before settling down in the couch out in the living-room, wishing he could do more for his friend._

_- -end flashback- -_

"I've been better, but I could be a lot worst. I'm glad that Greg is here to keep me company when my dad is gone. I don't know what I would do without him." And of course you and Brooke."

"Brooke—"

"You still haven't talked to her yet Lucas? You can't do this to Brooke again, you can't play with her heart. You have to talk to her and I'm not talking to you till you do."

"Peyton—"

"Lalalalalalalalalalala!" Peyton put her two hands over her ears, smirked at Lucas and turned around and left him behind her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey Mouth. I've missed you." Brooke Davis sat down beside her friend Mouth McFadden and gave him a hug before turning toward his computer screen. "What are you doing?"

"Emailing Erica."

Brooke stared at him speechless, confused why he would want contact with such a girl as one Erica Marsh.

_- -flashback- -_

_Brooke opened the hospital room door, where just behind it was her friend Mouth lay, broken and defeated by some girl. Some girl she had introduced to him._

_As the door swung open, she saw the blonde heartbreaker standing beside his bed, her hand in his own, tears streaming down her face. **She is going to have a lot more tears when I'm through with her.**_

"_Hey Brooke."_

_She spoke to Brooke, the girl who had caused her Mouth so much pain that he had resulted in drinking his problems away. "What are you doing here?"_

_She looked confused when she answered, "excuse me?"_

"_How could you do something like this to someone like Mouth? How could you break his heart when he would never hurt you." Brooke knew that she was letting her temper get the better of her, but she didn't care. She couldn't hurt Mouth and get away with it, no way, no how._

_She watched as Erica gapped at her, then bit her tongue before suddenly becoming confident in herself. "Well maybe you should take your own advise before you preach to me about breaking Mouth's heart or any heart now that I think about it." _

_Brooke watched as Erica rose from her chair and walked past her and out of the hospital room. Out of their lives. Brooke turned to look at Mouth. "What was that all about?"_

"_Don't ask," he replied as he laid back down on his pillow._

_- -end flashback- -_

"Why the hell are you emailing that bitch. After what she has done to you?"

"Chill Brooke, it's not like she is emailing me back. Erica took off, her parents don't even know where she has gone and I was hoping that she would at least email me back, tell me she is okay."

"I say, its better this way."

"Brooke, you don't mean that."

"Yea, I do. And I think what you are doing is stupid. This is the girl who got you so drunk that you we on the rivercourt, passed out, and had to be rushed to the hospital. How could you even think about her?"

"Erica didn't make me do anything Brooke. It was my choice to drink that alcohol and my choice on how much I drank of it. And Erica saved my life that night, whether or not you want to believe it."

Brooke just stared at Mouth, seeing this different person in front of herself, who always seemed to want to pick a fight.

Brooke felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to face Lucas Scott. "Can we talk?"

"Sure." Brooke grabbed her bag and turned to leave, but shouted over her shoulder, "this is not over Mouth."

As Mouth watched her walk away with Lucas, he whispered silently, "Yes it is Brooke. I'm not going to be your little brother anymore and listen to whatever you say. This is my decision and nothing you say is going change that." He pressed send with the left mouse button and watched as his email left the screen and entered cyberspace.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Brooke, I need to talk to you about what I said, right before you left. You remember?" Oh boy did she ever.

_- -flashback- -_

_Standing in the old room of Lucas' that she had occupied to finish the year, Brooke pulled away from the kiss Lucas had planted on her lips and stared at him, disbelieving. She found her voice and was able to choke out, "tell me that was a goodbye kiss."_

"_I wanna be with you, Brooke."_

_Brooke takes a step back, scared what a close proximity might do to her. Make her believe him, make her kiss him back. But she moves back, letting her heart slow down and her head to return from the clouds. "What?"_

"_I'm sorry. I know we're friends . . . it's just how I feel."_

_She could feel the tears in her eyes, but she tried to keep them right where they were, or risk falling apart in front of him. This is what she wanted. "What about Peyton's stuff?"_

_He sighed deeply. "I keep that stuff as a reminder of how badly I screwed up things." He pauses, looking at her, analyzing their space. With you. To remind myself, if I ever get a second chance, . . . I'd never let you go again."_

_- -end flashback- -_

"I want you to realize that everything I said, I meant it. I really did, but with Marissa and my mom strugling to pay for her treatment, I really don't have any time to think about a relationship. I'm really sorry."

"Actually, that's what I was thinking about too. With Peyton and this whole Ellie thing, plus Mouth and Erica . . . they need me, more then I need a relationship."

"You're a good friend Brooke Davis. I'm glad that it worked out like this." Brooke nodded as Lucas turned around and left Brooke as tears streamed down her cheek.

* * *

_Me Against The World - Simple Plan_

_**Don't jump to conclusions on the pairings, I just might have some tricks up my sleeve. Hope you liked this, it's kind of just a filler to show the first day. Hope you liked nonetheless, as I had fun writing it, especially the part about Nathan, Rachel and Grey's Anatomy as I love that show, though it sucks cause it is now on at the same time as Supernatural. I'm going to have to watch one later. Anyways, please post a comment cause of course you guys are the reason I keep writing.**_

**Thanks to Duckygirl, lucasluvforever, Pennylynn and OTH.daddy'sgurl.06 for posting a comment. Hope you like this chapter. My story is also on betterthancw boards at ****http(:)(//)betterthencw(.)proboards70(.)com(/)index(.)cgi(?)board()othff&action()display&thread()1156465438, which is one chapter ahead.**

_**Keep rocking the free world!**_

_**-Katie-**_


	7. Pins And Needles

**Chapter 7 - Pins And Needles**

"_I remember feeling low. I remember losing hope. I remember all the feelings, and the day they stopped. We are, we are all innocent, we are all innocent. We are, we are, we are, we are all innocent, we are all innocent. We are, we are."_

_- - Our Lady Peace "Innocent"_

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"Hey P. Sawyer."

Peyton turns around to face her long time friend, Brooke Davis, grinning, as per usual, from ear to ear. "Hey Brooke, what's got you smiling?" Peyton gasps, quite falsely and says very dramatically, "is it a boy?"

"Now, Peyton, you know I don't kiss and tell."

"What? Since when?"

"Well, P. Sawyer, that would be since there is no boy to kiss and tell about." Brooke threw herself on Peyton's bed and buried her head in Peyton's pillows. "When did relationships become so hard?"

"I'm guessing Lucas talked to you."

Brooke sat up in bed and turned toward Peyton. "How did you know?"

"Lucas has been talking to me for a while now since he found out about Marissa, asking me what to do about this situation."

"So you had him break up with me?" asked Brooke, almost screaming. "You had Lucas break up with me so you could have him all to yourself, that's it, isn't it? You sneaky, son of a—."

"Brooke chill, I didn't tell him that."

"Then what, dear Peyton, is the reason Lucas doesn't want to be with me anymore? If it isn't you then what is it?"

"It's Marissa." Peyton sighed, glad that Brooke wasn't talking. "He doesn't have the time anymore to have a girlfriend, he is taking care of Marissa and trying to earn as much money as he can so that they can pay for Marissa's medical bills. He didn't want to make you have to wait for him, and be second place, because that is what you would have been Brooke." She took deep breath. "All I told him was to talk to you. That's it."

Brooke stood in place for a moment before she moved to Peyton and engulfed her in a hug as the tears started to fall. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright."

"You must think I'm really stupid."

"No, you're just upset. I understand."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A month of school had passed and nothing had really changed. Dan was still being an ass, Deb and Nathan still avoided her like the plague, and Karen was still struggling with paying Marissa's expensive medical bills. But she would never admit it.

Marissa moved the cloth over the smooth counter, cleaning it as she moved from one side to another as she heard the jingle of the door opening. "I'm sorry, were closed."

"Sorry. I was looking for Lucas."

Marissa stops moving at the voice and looks up and sees a boy with dark hair and blue eyes much like her own and Lucas'. It was the boy that had been in the Scott house that day over a month ago where she learned her life was more complicated than she could imagine.

"I'll come back later to see him." Marissa can tell that he knows who she is, but doesn't want to acknowledge who she is. His sister.

"He should be back momentary. We are going to see a movie after we close up so you can wait here if you want." It slipped before she thought about it, something she was known quite well for at her own school, which usually resulted in a fracture or even a broken bone.

"Sure. Thanks."

A silence settled, making Marissa go crazy as she hates an awkward silence almost as much as she hated having to take charity. She contemplates turning on music or something, but decides against it, instead asking, "Can I get you anything while you wait? Something to eat or drink?"

"Sure. I'll have a drink. Sunkist please," says Nathan as he moves from the door and sits down on a bar stool at the counter. Marissa moved to the small fridge, bring out a Sunkist and placing it in front of him.

Again an awkward silence sets in as he drinks his drink, looking around the café. Marissa is about to speak again, desperate for any conversation, when the door opens with a jingle again.

"Hey, Marissa are you ready to go—?" Lucas notices Nathan sitting at the counter and stares at him, having not really talked to him since school started unless it was forced. "Hey Nathan. What are you doing here?"

"Can I talk to you?"

Marissa notices that Nathan stresses the 'you' and she takes the hint. "I'm going to go change. I'll be back in a little while."

As she leaves Lucas turns back to Nathan. "What can I do for you?"

"Whitey, up to his usual tricks of pissing people off, has assigned us co-captions. Lucky us." Nathan sneers at Lucas. "We need to start on the practices. We don't get the gym until later this month but we could start at the river court."

"Sure, whatever. Just call me when you know when we are going to practice." Lucas looks Nathan in the eye. "Why couldn't you say that in front of Marissa?"

"Thought I would be nice and not bring you down a peg with her in the room. You know, me knowing I'm captain before you, thinking of practices, and actually caring about this team."

"I've been busy. Since the excuse of a father Dan won't pay for her medical treatments, we are struggling to keep up with all of our bills, keeping the café afloat and helping Marissa live a normal life, even if she is sick."

Nathan looks at Lucas dumbfounded. "Wait. She's sick?"

"Dan didn't tell you?" Nathan shakes his head no. "Marissa has Leukemia, and she is currently undergoing chemotherapy which is causing us to have money troubles."

Nathan sighs. "I didn't know that."

"Nate, I know you don't know her but she is our sister, whether or not you realize that, and we have to do something."

"I'll see what money I can get to help."

"I've been thinking about maybe having a concert for Marissa at Tric or a movie night like we did with you."

Nathan nods his head. "Okay, keep me informed."

Nathan turns to leave until Lucas' voice cuts through the night air and stops him. "Does this mean we are brothers again?"

"No, but we're almost friends."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Hey McHottie."

Nathan turns around to face the red head, Rachel, that has been constantly around him since she moved here.

"You know, you should hear some of the gossip that goes around here."

"If you care so much about gossip why are you here, talking to me of all people?"

"Well, just because I hear gossip, doesn't mean that I actually believe a word of it anyway and plus, how often is gossip right? Once, maybe twice, and considering what they have been saying about you, I wouldn't believe any of it."

"You better believe it. Tree Hill is full of drama, more than you could ever imagine. What are they saying about me anyway?"

"That you have a half brother and sister, both with different mothers."

"Well that is actually true. My life is actually more drama filled then the new episode of Desperate Housewives, apparently."

Rachel stares at him bewildered. "You have two siblings?"

"Yea, an older brother named Lucas who was born about three months before me, and a younger sister, fourteen, who apparently is sick and has no money, so that means she might die. There, have I answered your questions or do you have more?" Nathan moves faster down the hall trying hard to escape Rachel.

"Well since we already covered that you are in fact married or separated, whatever you say you are today, I just have one question."

Nathan spins around staring at Rachel, annoyance evident on his face. "What?"

"Are you really as hot as everyone says you are without a shirt?" Rachel smiles an innocent smile at Nathan as he spins around and walks away from her.

Brooke walks by her, "I would stay clear of that if I were you. It's really messy."

"Well, I'm glad you weren't me, because that would mean I was you and I would have a very boring life now, wouldn't I?"

As Rachel walks away, Brooke staring at her, giving her the evil eye, Peyton walks up behind her, "Now why is the bitch being a Brooke?"

"Rachel."

"Hey Peyton, Brooke!" Lucas runs up toward them, "do you think that we could do something at Tric for Marissa?"

"Like what?" asks Brooke, avoiding his glance.

"Maybe a movie night or something like that. Anything to help out Marissa and my mom. We're really suffering and I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry Lucas. We'll figure something out. But right now, we have to go to Cheerleading tryouts. We need a new member."

"Okay. I'll catch up with you two later."

As Lucas walked away and was out of earshot, Peyton turned to Brooke, "that was kind of awkward, now wasn't it."

"Not kind of, Peyton. It was totally awkward." Brooke sighed. "When will Tree Hill ever be normal?"

"When pigs fly."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nathan was standing nearby as he watched Lucas talk with Peyton and Brooke. Why he got to be happy and not himself, Nathan would never know. Sometimes he wished for the days when he only knew Lucas by name, before he joined the basketball team. Then he wouldn't have met Haley.

_**Stop thinking about her. You are going to make yourself crazy again.**_

Nathan watched as Lucas moved away from them, a stupid grin on his face again, like he had just won a million dollars. "Lucas!"

Lucas looked around the courtyard and finally noticed Nathan standing against the school wall, signaling him over to himself. "Hey Nate. What's going on?"

"You finally done with Brooke and Peyton?" Lucas nodded half heartedly, wondering what Nathan wanted. After all, they weren't really good friends. Or friends at all. "Whitey wants to talk to us at the beginning of next period."

"I have English though."

"Do you really think Whitey cares? Meet me at his office before the bell goes, or I'll kick your ass. I actually need this basketball scholarship."

"Yea right. You're the one who needs the scholarship?"

"Just be there!" yelled Nathan as he turned around and headed for the school.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Marissa walked up the walk way of the big beach house. She had been walking for hours, not wanting anyone to know where she was going. She felt her hand come down hard on the wood door and it swings open moments later.

"I need you to help me. I'll do anything."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Next!" Brooke yelled as her and Peyton sat on the stage, watching each of the girls trying out for the cheerleading squad, and failing miserably.

As no one came out, Brooke turned to Peyton. "Great, there is nobody. To bad Haley wasn't here at least we would have a decent cheerleader for this year. I'm captain and all and we are going to lose the Sparkle challenge again this year."

Brooke started to bang her head on the table until Peyton grabbed her head. "We'll find someone."

The door swung open and Rachel walked into the room, smiling from ear to ear in a sports bra and very short shorts. "I'm I late for the cheerleading tryouts?"

"Sorry, we don't allow skanks," sneered Brooke.

"Wait. I thought you were the caption of the team."

Before Brooke could respond, Peyton interrupted her. "Well here we will just play some music for you and you show us what you got."

"Okay." Rachel moved back a bit and as the music started up, she started to move. Brooke and Peyton stared at her as she started to move very seductively to the music, until she jumps, spreads her legs and falls to the floor at near splits.

"I'd like to thank you on behalf of myself and the group… and I hope we pass the audition."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"John Lennon," answered Peyton as Brooke looks at her. "The 'Let It Be' album. Girl knows her music."

"Too bad she was late. We'll let you know."

Rachel smiles and leaves as Peyton turns to Brooke as they got up to leave. "So, I guess we found our girl, right?"

"Oh, you just like her coz of that stupid BeeGees thing."

"No, I like her because she's good," answered Peyton as they moved out into the hall and Brooke waves at Mouth coming toward them.

All of a sudden there are three gun shots and there are yells and screams coming down the hall and people running in all directions, trying desperately to get away from the guy down the hall wearing a black ski mask.

"Get on the floor now!"

Brooke moved her body closer to the ground, laying down on her stomach with Peyton on one side and Mouth on the other. She could feel her eyes begin to water, but she tried to let her voice shake as she said, "what do you want?"

The person in the ski mask looked around, almost like they were trying to figure out who said it before his eyes hit Brooke.

He chuckled. "Let me guess. You're a cheerleader right? Maybe class president and of course really popular. Right?"

Brooke didn't move but he laughed again. "Thought so."

Brooke turned away from the shooter and toward Peyton laying beside her and noticed her eyes were closed. "Peyton?" Brooke sat up and shook Peyton. "Peyton? Peyton wake up!"

The shooter turned around, "get down now!"

"Peyton wake up!"

"GET DOWN NOW!" yelled the shooter again before his gun went off again and another body hit the floor.

* * *

**_Okay a bit of a cliffhanger there (Well, maybe a huge one.) Hope you aren't too mad at me. I hope that this story will get a lot more readers and reviewers because this story is my baby, and the first one I started writing and it doesn't seem to be worth it by posting it here. I have many more chapters waiting to be posted so the more reviews, the faster the update!_**

**_Keep rocking the free world!_**

**_-Katie-_**


	8. How To Save A Life

**Chapter 8 - How To Save A Life**

"_If everyone cared and nobody cried. If everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day when nobody died."_

_- - Nickelback "If Everyone Cared"_

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_Previously — _

Brooke turned away from the shooter and toward Peyton laying beside her and noticed her eyes were closed. "Peyton?" Brooke sat up and shook Peyton. "Peyton? Peyton wake up!"

The shooter turned around, "get down now!"

"Peyton wake up!"

"GET DOWN NOW!" yelled the shooter again before his gun went off again and another body hit the floor.

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Screams echoed through the hall again, the loudest one being Brooke Davis' as she grabbed Mouth and applied pressure on his stomach soaked with blood.

"Mouth," whined Brooke as tears began to fill her eyes. "Why did you do that?"

"Brooke," wheezed Mouth as he looked up at her. "If I die, I want you to know that I . . . I . . . I love you Brooke Davis."

Brooke sobbed harder as Mouth closed his eyes and laid down against Brooke just as Peyton opens her eyes. "What happened?"

Brooke didn't answer, instead her tears became more erratic.

"Awwww. So cute. As he is dying, the geek who no one likes confesses his true love for the most popular girl in school. Too bad the girl doesn't love him back."

Brooke leans over and kisses Mouth on the forehead before turning her attention back to the shooter standing in front of her, as she pulled Peyton closer, who was holding her arm. "What do you want? Why are you doing this?"

"Why does any shooter go into a high school and shot up the students there?"

"Because they are psychotic?"

"Watch it, missy," retorts the man as he points the gun at Brooke and she closes her eyes, tensing immediately, "you have no more bodies to protect you."

"Why are you doing this then?"

"Revenge, sweety. Retribution, vengeance, pay back, what else do I have to say for you to get it. Then again you probably are an air head cheerleader. I am getting back at all the people that teased me through high school and made my life hell!"

"So my friends teased you through high school. I don't know you."

"Well, isn't that the point. You don't know me, and you wouldn't know me even if I went to this school the same time as you. No, people like you made my life hell and made me contemplate suicide." He kicked Mouth's shoe. "Well not this one, but he had to be heroic."

"Please just stop."

"Now how do you know this one?" he said pointing at Mouth. "Probably an old family friend that you have to acknowledge, right? You wouldn't be friends with him unless you had to."

"See. You don't know me. You don't know any of us and yet you come here and judge us with a stupid gun!"

He points the gun again at Brooke and she tenses again. "I know you."

Another gun shot went off and Brooke screamed again as the guy in the ski mask hit the floor and Brooke could see blood on his head.

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Haley sat quietly on the bed in her hotel room, her cell phone in her hand, contemplating whether or not she should call back to the person who has been calling her.

Although he had been sneaky and not allowing her caller display to show who was calling, she knew it was him. She could hear him sigh right before he hung up.

She laid down on her bed, holding her cell phone up in front of her face. She slowly dialed the numbers and pulled the phone to her ear. "Hello?" _Click._ She closed and got up and walked toward the window.

_- - flashback - -_

"_Besides Haley, I don't want Peyton, I want you."_

_Haley looks down, the rain surrounding her and Nathan standing outside of her house. He looks up at him, blinking the rain from her eyes. "Is that it?"_

"_You know, my pride says, 'Yeah, that's it. Just walk away and let Haley deal with the fact that she's clearly threatened by a sexual relationship.'" He pauses. "But my heart says: 'Just forget about your pride, you idiot. You love this girl. And even if you are gonna catch pneumonia, your ass is gonna stand out here in the rain until you convince her to forgive you.' So come on Hales. Just meet me halfway here?"_

"_Why should I?"_

"_Because I'm sorry. Because I love you. Because you're looking really hot standing here in the rain," Haley runs her fingers through her hair and smiles, "and I'm thinking, I have to kiss you."_

"_Well, if you have to." Nathan moves closer as Haley smiles up at him and his lips come crashing down on hers._

_- - end flashback - -_

It had been raining that day and it was raining today too. Haley opened her phone again and dialed different numbers than before. "Hey. Do you mind coming here? I need someone here with me tonight. Yea. I'm in my hotel room. Thanks." She closed the phone and looked out the window as the rain streamed down the window, just like the tears streaming down her cheek

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -ÆÑÃâ - - - - - - - - - - - -ÆÑÃâce officer came up to Brooke, asked her if she was all right and tried to take Peyton and Mouth away from her and make her stay. She didn't remember much about what happened and the next thing she knew she was outside.

"Brooke?" She turned around and noticed Lucas before he pulled her into a hug. "Oh-my-god Brooke, are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Peyton and Mouth aren't as good."

"What happened? I heard there was a gunman in the school in the hallway. I was talking to Whitey, I just got back and told I wasn't allowed in the school." He paused, watching Brooke's eyes begin to fill up with tears. "What happened?"

"He shot . . . he shot Peyton . . . he started yelling at me . . . told me to get down on the ground and . . . and shot at me. Mouth . . . Mouth . . . he took the bullet for me . . . told me he loved me."

Lucas pulled her closer as she continued to cry violently. "I need to get to the hospital. Lucas, I need to see Mouth, to make sure he's going to be okay." Brooke went off and started talking to herself. "He said he loved me, he said he loved me, does he?"

"Come on Brooke, I'll drive you there. You should see someone anyway, make sure you aren't hurt."

Brooke allowed Lucas to steer her along toward his car and Brooke fell asleep instantly in the passenger seat.

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The knock echoed throughout the hotel room and Haley jumped, feeling her little girl kick her lightly. She rubbed her stomach lightly as she walked toward the door, looking through the little peephole as the person in the hall. Haley managed a weak smile as she pulled the door opened and faced the person before her.

"About time Hales! You were making me wait outside in the hallway where creepy guys could attack me and rape me, when you are the one calling me saying 'boo hoo, do you mind coming here. I don't want to be alone, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!' And when I do come, totally screwing my previous plans with my friends tonight by the way, you don't even unlock the damn door. I know you have like a mini Naley in there but do you have to be so slow. Opening a door isn't that hard."

"Hi Taylor. How are you tonight?" Haley moved back, allowing Taylor to walk into the room, setting her bag inside the door, and plopping down on the couch.

"Nice digs baby sis. Who did you have to kill to get this?"

"What is in that?" Haley motioned to Taylor's bag. "Did you bring your whole apartment so something, cause, believe me, this isn't a long-term kind of thing?"

"More like a one night stand? Baby sis I had no idea!" Taylor smirked at Haley before she rose from the couch, grabbed her bag from Haley and headed toward the kitchen area. "Needed some reinforcements: Ben and Jerry."

Haley looked over at the two containers of ice cream and laughed. _**Taylor never could refuse ice cream and chocolate.**_

Taylor grabbed two spoons from Haley's drawer and walked over to the livingroom where Haley was sitting and fell down into the mess of pillows around. "Whatever's eating you kid, this will surely clear it up."

"Aye, Aye Caption!"

Haley took a large spoonful as Taylor turned to look at her and talk. "So have you told mom and dad yet? Or, more importantly, have you told your husband about the bouncing bundle of joy that you are about to pop?"

"Taylor!"

"What? It's true, isn't it?"

"Yea but you don't have to say it like that do you! I'm only seven months pregnant, I still have two more months, she isn't due till December 13."

Taylor moved to face Haley, taking a big spoonful of ice cream and shoving it in her mouth and tried to talk. "Wait, what? She?"

"Yea. I saw a doctor. I'm having a girl! Baby girl Scott."

"Baby girl Naley." Taylor paused to scoop some more ice cream in her mouth and continued on with Haley. "So, that kind of means you have to name the little baby girl after me. Even if they made a mistake and it is a baby boy Naley, Taylor still works, doesn't it? Although, that might be bad news though. All those siblings, well I was the first of the family to know wasn't I?"

"Of course."

"So you going to name that lump after me?"

"Of course not."

"But I'm like your favourite sister, you can't do that to me!"

"Who said you were my favourite sister? Come on, there's Quinn and then Vivian—" Taylor grabbed one of the pillows around her and threw it at Haley, hitting her in the chest, making her laugh hysterically. "Be careful! You don't want to hurt the baby. See! She doesn't like it!"

Taylor moved closer and placed her hand on Haley's stomach, and felt the little girl kick at her ever so lightly. "She already knows who her favourite auntie is going to be."

Haley laughed again and laid down on the floor, placing her arms behind her head. "This is the most fun I have had in a long time."

"You would be having an even better time with all your friends if you would just go back to you home in Tree Hill. Go back home Haley."

"Taylor, I don't have a home anymore. Mom and Dad are gone."

"Your home is with Nathan now, Haley. Not Mom and Dad, and you agreed to that when you said 'I do'. Which reminds me, I was very upset that I didn't get to go and throw a bachelorette party for my little sis. Lord knows I won't have one."

Haley threw another pillow at Taylor and they continued to fight until they settled down and watched a movie. As Haley laid awake listening to Taylor's loud snoring, she could just make out the rain falling outside her window. As Haley listened closely, she could almost hear it repeat Taylor's earlier comment, _'__**go back home Haley**__'_.

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Lucas moved into the hospital room and look onto a girl with blonde hair, sleeping nicely with her arm in a sling. He noticed it was her left arm and chuckled lightly, knowing that if it was her right arm, she wouldn't have been able to draw.

He moved silently and sat down in a chair beside her bed, staring at her, wishing he had been there to save her.

"I can't believe this happened to you Peyton. I wish I had been there to protect you, save you, prevent you from this physical pain." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it lightly with his own and laid his head on her bed.

"You know, you can't always save me."

Lucas looked up at Peyton but her eyes were still closed. He looked around the room, wondering if someone was playing a trick or something until her looked back at Peyton, her eyes beginning to open.

"God, Peyton, you scared me." Peyton laughed lightly, before stopping like the shaking of the laugh hurt. Lucas noticed and asked, "how do you feel?"

"I feel all right, I guess, considering what happened. How's Brooke and Mouth?"

"Brooke fell asleep as we were driving here so I carried her in, made sure a doctor looked at her and made sure she was all right. We waited till Mouth was out of surgery and I placed her in his room, sleeping on a chair there. She wanted to be there when Mouth woke up but she fell asleep herself. She has had a long day."

"Yea." Peyton paused as tears began to fill her eyes and she looked down, shaking her head, trying to get rid of the tears.

"Peyton? What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Lucas gave her a look and she continued, "I was so scared today Lucas. I was so scared that I was going to die. I didn't want to die, Lucas, there is so much I haven't done yet. I want to travel the world, I want to get married and have kids one day. Me and Greg were just starting to become siblings, and I didn't want to die before I told you—"

"Peyton?"

Lucas turned around to find Greg burst his way into the room. Lucas looked back at Peyton "I better go check up on Brooke and Mouth. I'll talk to you later."

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Brooke's eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room she was in before her eyes finally settled on Mouth.

"Hey Brooke. About time you woke up."

Brooke smiled, and moved closer to Mouth, pulling his hand in her own. "How are you? Do you feel better?"

Mouth nodded and smiled back at her and looked around the room. "I think they gave me the same room as last time I was here!"

Brooke laughed and moved closer to Mouth, standing over him and turning serious. "Mouth, what you back there in the school and what you said to me—"

"Brooke, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put you on the spot or anything—"

Mouth stopped talking as Brooke leaned over toward him, their noses touching and their mouth's almost touching. "Thank you," said Brooke as her lips moved and their lips came in contact as she kissed him passionately.

* * *

**How To Save A Life - The Fray**


	9. Tired Of Saving Souls

**Chapter 9 - Tired Of Saving Souls**

_A long time ago, we used to be friends. But I haven't thought of you lately at all. If ever again, a greeting I send to you, short and sweet to the soul is all I intend. We used to be friends a long time ago._

_- - The Dandy Warhols "We Used To Be Friends"_

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Brooke moved around the courtyard of the school, a smiled across her face as she looked around, trying to find a familiar face of her friends. Three weeks had passed since the day Brooke wishes she could forget, and also a day she would never forget.

Finally Brooke spotted two blondes sitting at a table on the far side of the courtyard and she hurried toward them. "Hey!"

Peyton and Lucas turned around and answered, "hey," in unison.

"Okay that's creepy, you too are almost too close for your own good."

Peyton and Lucas laugh and Peyton asks Brooke, "so, Smiley, you just get back from skipping last class or something? Is that why you are so happy?"

Brooke blushes slightly, out of character, but doesn't answer, which leads to more laughter.

"How is Mouth anyway, Brooke? I've only seen him a couple of times and you too seem to be stuck together at the hips."

"He is doing really good. Doctor still wants him to stay home, for another week or so just to be careful, but Mouth seems okay and doesn't really mind being home. I don't know if he will be able to face school when he is allowed to come back."

"He'll be fine. He has you there for him."

"Thanks Lucas."

Peyton looks around and spots Greg nearby and walking toward their table. "Shit, I forgot." She turns to Brooke and Lucas, "sorry guys, I have a doctor's appointment and I totally forgot. I'll catch up with you later." Peyton hurries away toward Greg and disappears from view.

Brooke sits there, looking at Lucas, and waiting for the uncomfortable silence to go away with no such luck. "Lucas?"

"Yea?"

Brooke sighs and closes her eyes. "Are you okay with Me and Mouth? I mean, are you okay that we are dating?"

"Yea, why?"

"It's just . . . well it's just that you came to me right before I left for California and told me you wanted to be with me and kissed me. But then when I came back, you didn't want to date, so I don't know if you got over me or you are hiding those feelings."

"Brooke, I love you. But it's nothing like how Mouth loves you. I think that maybe the time apart did us good and put things in perspective."

Brooke smiles. "I thought that I liked you over the summer. Maybe it was infatuation, I don't really know now, but it was there. But when Mouth was shot," she paused and closed her eyes, hating remembering that day.

Lucas moved closer, wrapping his arm around her small body. "It's okay."

Brooke breathed in, "when he was shot and told me how much he loved me, I just stared at him bleeding and realized I took him for granted."

"Brooke—"

"No, it's true. I didn't know what I had until I nearly lost it and I realized that what I said in the time capsule was right."

Lucas looks at Brooke, confused, but knowing that the time capsule was private.

"So what about you? Do you love anyone like Mouth loves me?"

"I'm not really sure yet. It scared the hell out of me when I thought I might have lost her, but I'm not sure if it was friendly, or something more."

"When you figure it out, tell her. You might be surprised."

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Nathan jumped out of the car and starting walking up toward the front door, wishing her wasn't here. He didn't want to be standing outside the Scott family beach house where his father currently resided, and ask for a favor.

He knocked three times on the dark door and it was almost instantly flown open, revealing Dan Scott in the doorway.

"Nathan? What are you doing here."

Nathan didn't answer and instead pushed his way through inside the house, walking around at the familiar surrounding, remembering all the parties he had hosted here without his mother's knowledge, and Dan's approval.

"I was just about to leave, Nathan—"

"Did you know that your newly found daughter that you have neglected for her entire life has Leukemia?"

"What?"

"Did you," answered Nathan more sternly this time, "know that your newly found daughter, that you have neglected for her entire life, has Leukemia and needs treatment?"

"Yes."

Nathan began to get angry at Dan. "Did you also know that Lucas and Karen are struggling to make ends meet as it was and now they also need to pay for Marissa medical treatment, while you sit here rolling in money? She is your bloody daughter!"

"So?"

"So that's it? You are going to just sit there and let them all sink? Karen has no relation to Marissa except that she is Lucas' half-sister, and she is paying the medical bills, while you sit here and ignore it?"

"She wasn't supposed to happen, it was an one night stand while I was away, she was an accident."

"Yea. So was Lucas and so was me. Seems that's all you do, make mistakes. But you can change that now. You could make this right with her, maybe be a father for once in your life and pay for her medical treatment!"

"Why should I?"

"Because she is your bloody daughter! Have you become so much of a robot that it doesn't matter to you anymore. Imagine if it was me who had the Leukemia, or even Lucas. You're saying that you wouldn't do anything?"

"I don't know, depends. You, I would have to do something, your mother would have made me, but Lucas no, because his mother wouldn't have told me."

"So are you going to do anything?"

"I don't know it depends." Nathan looked at him confused. "See, since your mother and I are getting a divorce—"

_- -flashback- - _

_Deb Scott walks up toward the construction site where they are rebuilding the dealership that was burned down during the fire at the beginning of the summer. Dan was overseeing the reconstruction of it, making it bigger and better then before._

_Deb looks around and spots her husband standing with the foreman. "Dan!"_

_Dan Scott turns around and notices his wife coming up behind him. He whispers departing words to the foreman and concentrates on his wife. "Hey Deb."_

_The foreman walks beside her and greets her, "Good afternoon Mrs. Scott." Deb nods back to the worker and continues towards Dan._

"_I didn't know you were going to visit me today, how nice."_

"_Okay Dan, keep dreaming." Dan smirks the famous Scott smirk at her and she sets her bag down on the ground. "I do have something for you though."_

"_Oh, and what could that be?"_

_Deb smiles to him and reaches into her purse and pulls out a large envelope. Dan eyes it with greed on his face. "You found it. You found the annulment—"_

"_No, I didn't find Nathan and Haley's annulment papers."_

"_Then what is this—?" Dan takes the envelope from Deb, opens it and finds, not Nathan and Haley's papers, but his own and Deb's. "These are our divorce papers."_

"_Yes. What did you think it would be?"_

"_You still want to divorce me?"_

"_Never didn't. I was just helping you until you were able to be by yourself again. That time is now Dan, you are fine."_

_Dan looks down at the papers again and then looks at Deb. "After all we been through?"_

_Deb sighed to herself. "It is what we have been through that is reason for the divorce. The fire has gone out, there is nothing there between us anymore. The reason I stayed with you so long was because of Nathan, and now he is married—"_

"_Soon to be annulled. Don't you think he might need both of us?"_

"_No."_

"_And why not?"_

"_Because all you have done for Nathan has cause more pain to him. You are the problem, why he moved out, why he ended up marrying Haley, why he hardly talks to us."_

"_What do you mean, 'hardly talks to us'?"_

"_I called him at highflyers. He didn't want to talk to me and was so, I don't know, like talking to me was the last thing he wanted to do and it was a burden just to say 'hi'. I don't want to lose my only child."_

"_Deb, don't be ridiculous."_

"_I can't help it. I've missed so much and now, I might lose him altogether, to some girl who just up and left him at the chance of being famous. He won't even talk to me about it."_

_Dan moved closer and embraced Deb as tears began to fall from her eyes. "Come on, Deb, you know Nathan loves you."_

"_No I don't."_

"_Yes you do. Nathan used to carry your picture around when you were away on business trip when he was younger. Did you know that?"_

"_No. But that was when he was so little."_

"_Yes, but there was a picture of you and Nathan in the livingroom that disappeared after Nathan left, did you notice that._

"_No."_

"_No, you didn't."_

"_Thanks." Deb pulled out of the embrace and looked at Dan. "I know Nathan loves me and will probably move back in the house with me. I fell so much better."_

_Dan smirked at her. "Who said anything about him moving back in with you?" He turned around to watch the construction again, leaving Deb to stare at him angrily and storm off back toward her vehicle._

_- -end flashback- -_

"—its kind of lonely out here at the beach house all by myself."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

Dan smirked at Nathan, which made a shiver slide down Nathan's back as he watched Dan standing in front of him. "Why don't you move in with me?"

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Brooke moves quickly toward the gym, realizing that she is late for cheer practice, but she left campus to check up on Mouth. She pushes the doors open revealing her squad practicing with the redhead from hell leading them.

"What the hell are you doing Rachel?"

Rachel spins around and the whole cheerleading squad stares at Brooke. "I'm sorry, but you are late for cheer practice."

"Yea, I know. And I apologize to the squad for being late, but I went to go check on Mouth."

Rachel snickered at Brooke and stared at her. "So let me get this strait. You are late for cheer practice so that you could go fool around with your boyfriend? You wouldn't be forgiving if any of us did that would you."

"If your boyfriend was shot in the stomach, then yea, I would be."

"Sure." Rachel turned around and faced the squad. "Okay girls, let's get back to starting positions and start from the top!"

Brooke stared at Rachel in disbelief. "Excuse me."

Rachel rolled her eyes and motioned to the squad with her first finger that she would only be a moment and turned back to Brooke. "What?"

"Okay, bitch, this is my squad."

"And what a nice squad it is. Now little Brookey, why don't you go run along and play with your dolls, because us grown ups need to get ready for the first game." She turned around and faced the girls again. "Okay, five, six, seven, eight."

Brooke watched as her squad started moving with Rachel and, in an instant, Brooke had Rachel on the ground with her on top, pulling on her hair, with the rest of the team all around, joining in the fight.

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Nathan walks into the change room later than usual, caring another suitcase with his regular gym bag, and sat down on the bench.

Lucas moves his eyes away from the book in his hand and says, "what with the suitcase?"

Nathan turns on Lucas, looking at him in almost complete anger. "Since when does it matter what you care? Is your life that boring that you have to stick your fat, ugly nose into other people's business? Why don't you mind your own."

"Chill Nathan, I was just asking."

"Well next time, don't." He moved to change, pulling on his practice shirt before he turned back to Lucas, "and anyway, you did it last year, didn't you? Wanted to know how the other half lived, didn't you?"

Lucas stood up. "You're moving back in with Dan?"

"Didn't I just say something about you minding your own business? Since when is my residence considered your business?"

"Why the hell would you want to move back in with that ass when all last year you tried to get out of that house."

"Why did you move in with him!?" asked Nathan angerly.

"I was trying to protect Keith!"

"I'm protecting Marissa!"

Lucas stood in place, wondering what Nathan meant until he said, "what?"

"I went and talked to Dan this morning. You and your mom don't have to worry about paying for Marissa medical bills anymore. I took care of it."

"By moving in with Dan?"

"If that's what it takes then yea, I did."

Nathan turns around to walk out into the gym but heard Lucas mutter under his breath, 'what a pushover' and Nathan felt his hand collide with Lucas' jaw, and a full fight broke out.

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Haley strummed along with Chris as they sang their newly famous song 'When The Stars Go Blue' for the crowd at Totally Request Live. Suddenly Haley's finger stopped moving and she bent her head down to try and breath deeply.

"Oh-my-god."

Haley felt something hard hit her side, taking awhile to realize that she had fallen off her chair and hit the ground. A loud gasp went through the studio as she let out a loud scream and her world turned black.


	10. Welcome To The Black Parade

**Chapter 10 - Welcome To The Black Parade**

_I hate the way you look at me, as if I was broken. And the perfection of my frailty has been questioned and broken. And I'm gunnin' for you, I'm gunnin' for you. And I will wait, I'll write another letter to myself. And I will find out that morning comes faster alone._

_- - Hedley "Gunnin'"_

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The four of them were sitting there, watching as Whitey paced back and forth behind his desk; the blonde, two brunettes and a redhead.

"Never! In all my years of coaching and teaching have I ever met another group of disrespecting teenagers! Never! I'm embarrassed that I actually know you and have to put up with you. Miss. Davis, as student body president, I expected much more from you.

Brooke looked down at her feet and replied, "yes sir."

"And you too, what do you think you are doing?" Nathan and Lucas didn't reply, instead they both looked at each other and turned away.

"And Miss Gattina, I know that you are new and everything, but do you really think that you would be able to do that at our school." Whitey studied her for a moment. "You couldn't do that at your old school, could you?"

"Well actually—," Whitey's face interrupted her, "—no sir."

"Good, now that its settled, you all have detention with me tomorrow after school." Before anyone of them could protest, Whitey was out of the office and walking down the hall. "It's got to be something to do with genetics," he muttered to himself as a smile creped across his face.

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"Good morning, Mrs. Scott. How are you feeling this morning?" The doctor moved around the room looking at Haley, laying down in a white gown.

"I'm okay, I guess. I fainted last night and I'm here just to make sure—"

"— the baby is fine?" Haley nodded lightly. "Okay." The doctor placed the cold gel on Haley's exposed stomach and moved it around, looking at the sonagram screen by Haley's head as she breathed in deeply, hating the coldness of it.

"The baby's fine, Mrs. Scott," said the doctor as she studied the picture. "Perfect health and almost ready to join this world. Shouldn't be much longer."

"Yea," Haley smiles to herself, 0"I'm about eight months pregnant."

The doctor sighed and sat down in a nearby chair as Haley moved slowly to sit up on the doctor's chair. The doctor looked at the floor, collecting her thoughts before she looked up at Haley, looking confused. "Now that we know the baby is fine, lets talk about yourself."

"What about me?"

"You collapsed."

Haley looked away from the doctor and down to feet. "I know, doctor. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to and it has made me nervous since last night because I didn't know if the baby was alright."

"Haley." The doctor sighed, "I got your medical records from your last doctor and it said she advised you to take it easy."

"I know, but it is hard, you know. I'm on tour and everything."

"What do you plan on doing when this baby is born? You can't seriously consider being on this tour with a baby. You are having a hard enough time being pregnant, it just gets harder when the baby is born. You aren't getting the things you need."

"I'm fine."

"No, you aren't Mrs. Scott. You collapsed last night because of malnutrition. You aren't getting the necessary food and vitamins and you aren't getting enough sleep."

"I'll be fine."

"Yes, you might be, but I'm not so sure of the baby. If you don't do better, you could complicate your labor, and maybe even have a complication. Please, just be careful, and remind yourself that this baby needs you to stay healthy for her sake."

"Thank you doctor Shaw. I'll keep that in mind." Haley looked back at the doctor before leaving the room.

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"Alright Miss Sawyer, everything seems to be healing quite well, better then I first expected." The doctor smiled at Peyton after looking over her arm. "You must tell me your secret for such a speedy recovery."

"Love," answered Greg, suppressing a laugh to himself.

Peyton gave him a look as the doctor chuckled to herself. "Oh, to be young and in love, how I miss it." The doctor continued to chuckle to herself as she walked out of the examining room and they could hear her whistling down the hall as Peyton hit Greg.

"Ow! That hurt Peyton!"

"Deserves you right for telling a lie to that doctor, who says I'm in love?" Greg just stared at her, telling her that he knew that she was lying. Peyton sighed, "fine."

Greg smiled. "I knew it!"

"Yea, well you aren't going to be telling anyone, alright? Who's to say that this person shares my feelings. He loves someone else."

"You just might be surprised."

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"Hey, Haley? I need to talk to you right now."

"Okay." Haley grabs her sweater and pulls it tightly around herself. She follows the tour director out of the dressing room and into the office of the club that she is playing in. "What can I do for you."

"First of all I want you to come clean and tell me your secret."

Haley stares at him, not understanding until he looked toward her stomach that is covered by two loose fitting shirts. Haley blushes slightly and answers, "oh, that."

"Yea. That.

"I can explain–"

"Oh, I hope you can. How could you get yourself pregnant?"

"What do you mean 'get yourself pregnant–'"

Haley was never able to finish because he interrupted her. "The fans are supposed to think that you and Chris was a couple, with the love song. Girls should want to be you and the guys should want to be with you. Do you think either will happen when they think you are pregnant?"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"How far along are you anyway? Could you still have an abortion? You know not many people have commented on your weight gain and we could just say its all the junk food you have been eating on the road."

"What? I'm not having an abortion!"

The tour manager just looked at her like she was an idiot. "And why not?"

"Because its my body, my baby inside me and I can't just kill an innocent child just cause it doesn't work for you!"

"Well I guess we have no other choice."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well we're sorry, but this pregnancy," he put the last word in air quotes, "is a problem for us and we have no other choice but to let you go."

"Let me go?"

"Yea. It means that you are no longer on the tour. You can stay a your hotel on us until the end of the year when you make other accommodations. We don't want you to be left on the streets pregnant, after you were on our tour."

"What?" whispers Haley.

"We will say that you had family problems or something and you are not allowed to go to the press with the real story."

"This can't be happening!"

Haley stared at this man that she has become friends with for the last eight months and couldn't believe that he was being so formal about this. It hurt her that he didn't even show remorse for letting her go.

"Sorry doll, but we have choice."

"Doll?" Haley noticed a glass of water sitting on the desk, picked up and splashed it in his face, soaking his face and the top of his shirt. "Don't ever call a girl that!"

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"Alright, you hooligans, you punishment is that you have to clean this gym completely—." A groan went up from the four individuals and Whitey replied, "spotless with no complaints. Now get a move on it. As soon as it's done you can go."

Whitey walks out of the gym and immediately Rachel is beside Nathan. "Hey McHottie!"

Lucas watches Brooke as she rolls her eyes at Rachel and Nathan responds, "hey McSlut. How's the cleaning coming?" Rachel pouts and Nathan turns to the others, "me and McWhore will take this side of the gym, you take the other side."

Lucas and Brooke nod and move toward the other side, grabbing some of the cleaning supplies that Whitey had left them.

"So McHottie? You have decide whether or not I'm McSlut or McWhore. I personally prefer McSlut as McWhore is more of a Brooke name, that or McSkank." Nathan instantly regretted having Rachel with him instead of Brooke.

"So what you doing Saturday, McHottie."

"Okay, first of all, you can't call me McHottie to my face, especially if you are tying to ask me out. Secondly, I'm still married."

"Separated."

"But still in love." Nathan moves the mop around in a circle, trying hard to lose thoughts of Haley from his mind without success. "And not about to give up on it with someone like you, McWhore."

He moves away as Rachel stares in wonder. Then, under her breath so that Nathan can't hear her, she mutters, "we will see about that."

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Haley turned around and walked smoothly out of the room_**What am I supposed to do now? I can't go home, my parents no longer live there and Nathan doesn't want me.**_ Haley was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Chris until she hit him.

"Whoa, walk much." Chris turned to Haley and saw the tears that soaked her face. "Haley? What's going on, what's wrong?"

Haley looked angrily into Chris' blue eyes and snarled "ask your employer." Haley turned around, entered the dressing room and collected her things, pulling her pictures off the mirror, placing her make-up and other things in her backpack. Chris walked in after her.

"What? Haley, I don't understand. What are you doing, why are you packing all your stuff back up? Where are you going?"

"That ass in there just fired me. Yea, all because of this." Haley points her finger at her large stomach and laughed lightly to herself, almost sarcastically. "Can you believe that the son of a bitch actually asked me how far I was along, just incase I could still get an abortion. Does he have no compassion?"

Haley stormed out of the room, leaving Chris standing bewildered and staring at her, and caught a cab back to her hotel room. It was there, in the solitude of her room, that Haley was finally able to cry for her lost dream and the baby growing inside her.

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Brooke moved the mop around in a circle, struggling hard to actually clean the floor. She could feel eyes on her and she turned around to see Lucas looking at her, trying hard not to laugh out loud at her.

"You know," she starts, "you could be a lot more useful if you actually help me instead of silently chuckling at me."

"But you are so comical to watch."

"Lucas!"

"All right, all right." Lucas moves, grabbing the mop from Brooke and giving her the broom that he had in his hands. "How are you and Mouth going."

"I'm not really sure. Mouth is so sweet and I love him to pieces, but he is so different now, and I try everyday to help him, but he seems out of it. I don't know if its from the shooting or is it something I did."

"It will be alright Brooke, just wait and see. Mouth will come around."

"I hope so. Mouth is allowed to leave his house, but he doesn't move from his bed and would rather lay in it all day then go out with me and do something."

Brooke collapses on the bleachers, holding her face in her hands as she feels tears stream down her cheeks. Lucas moves beside her and wraps his arm around her and pulling her close as he rocks her back and forth.

"Maybe he doesn't love me anymore. Maybe he just said that he loves me because he was dying and . . . I don't know Lucas."

"Brooke, listen to me. Mouth loves you, and has ever since you first sat with him when you watched me play basketball at the rivercourt. Remember you asked him his name and you told him how you were called Mouth at camp."

"Yea, I do. He has loved me since then?"

"Maybe even before. Just give him some time, he must be traumatized and scared now, knowing that things like that can happen to him."

"I guess. Maybe he will come out of this. Thanks Lucas."

"No problem."

Brooke watches as Lucas gets up from the bleachers and she smiles. "How is your love life doing these days? You know, with me off the market."

Lucas laughs out loud. "What love life? It's non-existent."

"Come on, Lucas there has got to be someone. Someone that makes your heart beat faster and faster, make your knees weak and make you wish to be with them every second."

"There is."

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Nathan walks into the beach house, exhausted from cleaning the gym for hours, finally stopping when the night janitor came in and kicked them out of the school.

He opened the door and smelt the left over of a spaghetti supper. "Dad, I'm home—"

Nathan stops dead in his tracks, noticing that there is another set of bags just inside the kitchen and he turns to see Dan and a blonde sitting at the kitchen table eating. Nathan stares at the blonde and his eyes grew large.

"Welcome home son. I'm sure you already know Marissa."

* * *

_Welcome To The Black Parade - My Chemical Romance_

**_This is dedicated to naley19 who seems to be the only one who actually reads this story on here. Hope you like the update._**


	11. Don't Wake Me Up

**Chapter 11 - Don't Wake Me Up**

_Wings won't take me, heights don't phase me. So take a step. But don't look down. Take a step. Now I'm standing on the rooftop ready to fall. I think I'm at the edge now but I could be wrong. I'm standing on the rooftop ready to fall._

_- - Rise Against "Ready To Fall"_

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Karen sat at the kitchen table, papers spread out around her, covering every inch of the large table. She would randomly pick up a piece of paper, look it over and throw it down again in frustration. She sighed heavily as Andy walked into the kitchen.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," answer Karen. Andy sits down beside her and stares intently into her eyes. She sighs again and looks away. "I hate when you do that."

"What's wrong Karen."

She finally looks up. "It's just so much work and it makes me so frustrated that I might not be done in time for it."

"It's alright Karen. The wedding isn't until April."

_- -flashback- -_

_Karen walked next to Andy as they left the little church in town. She grasped his hand and squeeze, showing that she was there for him. She was relieved when she felt him squeeze her back softly and look down at her and kiss her. "Thanks," he whispered lightly._

_They left for Andy's mother's house, grabbing takeout Chinese food, as neither of them felt like cooking much. Karen curled up in her favourite chair eating, Andy sitting on the floor beside her._

"_I wonder what I'm going to do with this house. Should I rent it or sell it?"_

"_Andy, you don't have to worry about that now."_

"_I guess." I long silence followed until he continued. "You want to know what my mother said to me before she died?" Karen looked at Andy sitting there with the fire crackling in his eyes._

"_What?"_

"_Don't let her get away. She's a keeper."_

"_Really? That's so sweet."_

"_Yea. That's my mother though. I wish you could have had more time with her. And that she could have met Lucas."_

"_Me too." Karen smiled sweetly at Andy. She had tried for the last couple of days to be there for him whenever he needed her, to talk or for other things._

"_Karen, I love you. You have been awesome the last couple of weeks, despite what has been going on here, and me spend hardly anytime with you. I fell so bad."_

"_Don't. I understand completely. It's hard having someone close to you so sick."_

"_It's not that. My mother had one wish for me."_

_Karen watches as Andy kneels on one knee and reaches into his coat pocket and pulling out a black case. "Oh-my-gosh, Andy!" She watches as he opens the case, reveling a diamond ring._

"_Karen? Will you marry me."_

"_Andy." Karen can feel the tears coming to her eyes and she smiles at Andy. "I love you with all my heart. Yes, I will." Andy kisses her deeply and slips the finger on her left hand._

_- -end flashback- -_

"I know."

"So calm down. We have a lot of time. We could hire a wedding planner, we could do this together, what ever you want."

Karen reaches out and kisses Andy sweetly on the lips. "Thank you."

"No problem."

The back door opens, causing both Andy and Karen to jump and they look up to find Lucas standing in the doorway. "Thanks for that. Not that I disapprove, but could you keep the public displays of affection to a minimum?"

"I'm going to remind you of this once you bring a girlfriend home."

Lucas laughs sarcastically as he flips through the mail in his hands. He finds a letter and holds it out to his mother. "There isn't a name on it or even an address. What do you think it is?"

"Open it."

Lucas does what he is told and reads it quickly over. "It's from Marissa. She says 'thank you for everything, but I no longer wish to be a burden on you. I'll miss you.'" Lucas drops the letter on the table and races to Marissa's room to find it empty.

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Dan had to run to the dealership, leaving Marissa and Nathan alone at the beach house and an uncomfortable silence fell over the house. Marissa seemed to know her way around the house by now, making Nathan wonder how long she had been living here.

Finally he couldn't take the silence and walked up to Marissa, who was watching television on the sofa. "What are you doing here?"

"Watching T.V. What does it look like?" she responds coldly.

Nathan stares, wondering why this person that he doesn't know is being so cold to him. "No, I mean why are you here at the beach house with Dan?"

"Why are you here?" Nathan looks at her confused as she turns around in her seat. "Why is it okay that you are here and its not okay that I am here. He is my father too, you know. Just because you haven't acknowledged that I'm your sister, doesn't mean I'm not."

Nathan stared blankly. "What?"

"I moved in here with Dan because he told me that he would pay for my medical coverage if I did, so now Karen doesn't have to."

"Why would you do that?"

She sighed. "Karen and Lucas were already struggling as it was and she is also going to be paying for a wedding soon. I couldn't do that to them."

"What about Andy. That guy is loaded."

"Do you think Karen would ask him for money. I don't have anything to do with Andy."

"Fine, but there are other ways to pay for your medical bills then to move in with Dan and be victim of his ways."

"Why are you here then Nathan? If I can't be _'victim of his ways,'_" she said using air quotes, "why the hell are you here to be? And don't lie and say you want quality time with Daddy. I'll know you're lying."

Nathan sighed. "Dan agreed to pay for your medical bills if I moved in with him."

Marissa didn't say anything. She just stared at Nathan standing in front of her and shallowed with difficulty.

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"Come on Mouth. We have to do something."

Mouth sat on his bed, staring up at Brooke standing in his doorway, pleading with him. "Come on Mouth. We haven't been out yet. Tonight is our first date so get up!"

She pulled the covers off of Mouth. "Get in the shower!" She pushed him off the bed and into the bathroom down the hall, closing the door. "I'm not letting you out until you have a shower!"

Mouth sighed and jumped into the shower, showered and got dressed. "Happy?"

"Yea. I actually am." She smiled at Mouth and kissed him sweetly on the lips. "Alright Mouth. Let's paint the town red!"

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"So, Marissa moved out," asked Peyton from her seat in front of her computer as Lucas sat on the bed, looking at her. "Where would she go?"

"I have no idea, but I'm scared. What if something happens to her or she isn't getting her treatment? I don't know if I could live with myself if something happened to her."

Peyton moved across the room and sat down beside Lucas. She moved her arm around Lucas, trying hard to comfort him. "I don't know where she went, but I'm sure she wouldn't have left unless she found another way to pay for the medical treatments."

"Maybe."

Peyton surveyed Lucas, and all of a sudden her stomach growled. Lucas laughed, "hungry?"

Peyton nodded her head and they went downstairs and into the kitchen and made some popcorn before putting a movie in the livingroom.

"You better now?" asked Lucas.

Peyton nodded her head slightly. "Yea, I feel a whole lot better. I wish we could do something about Marissa and find her."

Greg, listening from the other room stuck his head in. "What do you mean find her, I just talked to her a few minutes ago. We are going out for a movie tonight with Winnie and their friend CeCe."

"You talked to Marissa? Where is she?"

"I don't know. I thought she was still living at your house. She called here and asked if I wanted to go out with them tonight to see a movie. And since we have no caller display," he said staring at Peyton, "I don't know where she called from. Anyway, we are meeting in about ten minutes. By the way, Peyton could you give me a ride?"

"Sure. We can see Marissa then and make sure she is okay."

A ring echoed through the house and Greg ran to answer it. A few seconds later he came back and jumped onto the sofa. "Never mind about the movies. Marissa just called to cancel. Said her brother got her upset."

"But I haven't seen her since this morning and all we did was exchange good mornings. I didn't do anything."

Peyton thought for a moment and then gasped. "What if she wasn't talking about you?"

Lucas looked at her confused until it dawned on him. "Nathan? Nathan's got her upset. When I see him I'm going to—"

"Lucas, chill. We know where Marissa is then!"

"But Nathan doesn't live at home anymore with his mom, he moved in with—" Lucas paused, assessing the situation. "Nathan moved in with Dan and so did Marissa."

"Why would Marissa move in with Dan," asked Greg.

Peyton nodded in agreement. "Yea, didn't Dan sign over custody of Marissa to your mom? Why would she move in with Dan?"

"The same reason Nathan did, to pay for her medical costs. I get her letter now. She meant a financial burden. We had trouble getting her to accept us paying for the treatments. She reluctantly agreed that my mom could pay, but Andy wasn't allowed."

"Okay, so we found her. Do we go to the Scott beach house?"

"Absolutely."

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"Mouth, are you regretting that day in the school? Do you regret saying that you love me?"

Mouth looked up from his hamburger in front of him on which he had picked at since they arrived at the small little burger joint. He looked into her big, bright, brown eyes and instantly replied, "no, of course not. I mean it. Do you regret that day, when you kissed me."

"No Mouth. It's just—" This was going to be harder then Brooke imagined. "It's just that since the shooting, all you want to do is mope around your bedroom."

"So?"

"So, I know the shooting changed you, but do you really think that you should be spending all your time in a small bedroom when you can experience life. That school shooting showed me that death isn't something you choose. You just have to live with the best of it. And I want that with you."

"Brooke, I'm sorry, but I'm having difficulty dealing with the whole thing. How can someone just decide one day to go to a school and shoot up the place. It doesn't make sense."

Brooke laid her hand over Mouth's on the table. "I know it's hard. I'm here for you."

Mouth smiled, one of the few Brooke has seen the shooting, and leaned over the table and placed his lips over hers. "Thanks."

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A knock echoed through the beach house and Marissa moved to the top of the stairs to watch as Nathan opened the door. There stood Lucas, Peyton and Greg. "How could you tell them!"

The all looked up to find Marissa as Greg replied, "I didn't. You told me that your brother had upset you and since it wasn't Lucas, we had only one other choice."

"Oh yea. That reminds me." Lucas put all of his weight into his swing as it collided with Nathan's jaw and left Nathan panting for air. "That's for being an ass to our sister. You are such a self-absorbed, arrogant, son of a—"

"Not helping Lucas. I'll talk to her." Peyton shooed Lucas outside and said, "can we talk?"

Marissa nodded her head slightly and led Peyton up the stairs to the guest room that Marissa was using as her own. "Make yourself comfortable."

Peyton sat down and looked Marissa in the eye. "Why are you doing this?"

"I don't want Lucas and their mom to suffer anymore."

"That isn't it is it? Because instead of having Lucas and his mom pay for the medical coverage, I'm sure Karen's fiancé would pay for it. It isn't exactly poor."

"But he doesn't know me. I don't want to feel like a charity case."

"Then don't. Karen had you working in the café right?" Marissa nodded. "Then I'm sure Andy would do something like that with you. You just had to ask." Peyton paused a moment. "But this isn't about the money, is it. Not totally."

"What are you talking about?"

"You wanted to know Dan didn't you?" When Marissa looked down at her sock feet and didn't reply, Peyton continued. "I don't blame you. I'm adopted, you know. And I didn't want to know my real mother for the longest time. But I gave her a chance and everything was fine."

"But it's Dan. He's been fine since I moved in, but Lucas told me horror stories and Nathan looked pissed to be here, so I don't know."

"I do. Go home with Lucas and let Andy pay. They would make an awesome family for you, something you need right now."

"You think we could be a family."

Peyton smiled and nodded. "Yea, I do. Karen has a tendency to take in those who need the help, more emotional then physical. She is an awesome mother if you let her."

"Do you think I could go back then?"

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Haley held her stomach as the pains started to spread through her body. She screamed and collapsed to the floor, eyes closed from the pain. Haley felt her water break as the door opened, revealing Taylor.

"Oh my god Haley, the guy down the hall keeps hitting on me. He isn't even that—" she paused finally seeing Haley on the floor. "What are you doing on the floor?"

"Where the hell have you been!?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm in labor Taylor. My water just broke and I need to go to the hospital! And you are standing there complaining about the guy down the hall flirting with you."

"Alright Haley. Bite my head off, now why don't you. I move here to keep you company before baby Naley is born and all you do—"

"TAYLOR!!"

"Oh, right. Lets go." Taylor helps Haley up and out of the room on their way to the hospital.

* * *

_Don't Wake Me Up - The Hush Sound_

**_Dedicated to 23NaleyLVR23, naley4ever323, snowqueen1213, bridgee101, elosie09, naley19 and Shelley. Thanks so much for the reviews!_**


	12. Love Me For Me

**Chapter 12 - Love Me For Me**

_Take the very breath you gave me, take the heart from my chest. I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me, make this my last request. Take me out of this world. God, please don't take the girl._

_- - Tim McGraw "Don't Take The Girl"_

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"Oh my god!"

"Haley, just calm down. You are going to be fine, okay. You are only a few centimeters dilated. You are doing just fine—."

Haley screamed loudly, causing the doctor's sentence to drift off. The nurse beside Haley moved beside the doctor and said, "we have fetal distress."

"What? What does that mean? What's wrong? Is she okay?"

The doctor sighed and looked at Haley. "Everything should be fine, but we need to move you into surgery."

"Why? What's wrong with my baby?" screamed Haley.

"Haley, I need you to calm down. Everything should be fine. The umbilical cord has been wrapped around the baby's neck. It's a common occurrence, but it seems to be causing problems by sort of strangling the baby and cutting off blood flow through the cord."

"Oh-my-god."

"It is causing fetal heart rate decelerations which is slowing of the heart rate. This means that the baby has significant fetal distress. We need to get you into surgery so that we can preform an emergency C-section."

Haley hardly heard the last sentence as she felt herself moving between conscious and unconscious. She heard someone yell her name before she gave into unconsciousness.

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"Nathan? Nathan are you here?" Lucas moved around the beach house, looking desperately for Nathan. He had just gotten off the phone with Taylor and raced over to the Scott beach house. Haley was in trouble.

"Please be here Nathan," muttered Lucas to himself before he yelled Nathan's name again.

Lucas reached the livingroom to find Nathan sitting in front of the television, playing a basketball game on his PS2. "Didn't you hear me call you?"

"So. Can't you take the hint that if I don't answer you, then I don't want to talk to you?"

Lucas sighed at Nathan, who hadn't moved his eyes from the televison screen since Lucas walked into the room. "This is important Nathan. I need to talk to you now."

"Is it always about you? Maybe I don't want to talk to you."

Still Nathan didn't move his eyes from the game and Lucas walked over to the game and turned it off. That got his attention. "What the hell man?"

"You need to go to New York right now."

"And why the hell would I want to do that?" Nathan was beyond annoyed. Lucas was going to get his ass kicked soon if he wasn't really careful.

"You need to go to New York because Haley—"

"Yea right. I don't want to hear anything about that b—" Nathan stopped in mid-sentence as Lucas interrupted him.

"Your wife, my best friend, is in a hospital there, giving birth to your child."

Silence filled the room as Nathan turned around on the couch for the first time and faced his half brother disbelief written all over his face. It couldn't be true, she couldn't be pregnant. But, then again, he hadn't seen Haley in almost—nine months.

"What? You're kidding right?"

"I'm really sorry Nathan, I really wanted to, and I should have told you as soon as I knew but Haley made me swear I wouldn't tell you. I'm so sorry."

Anger replaced Nathan's astonishment on his face. "How long have you known?"

Lucas hesitated, not liking where this was going to go, but if it made Nathan move faster, then maybe it was worth it. "Well, I, um, I saw her during the summer. But Nathan, it doesn't matter now–"

"Doesn't matter? What do you mean it doesn't matter now? You have know about this for months now and you haven't told me anything?"

Nathan got up from the couch and turned his whole body towards Lucas. "I have a right to know Lucas, and you lied to me." Nathan turned around on spot and was about to leave the room when Lucas yelled his name again.

"Nathan, wait!" Lucas watched as Nathan spun around and looked at him with hatred, that he hadn't seen since the beginning of last year when Lucas first joined the basketball team.

"Why should I, Lucas? Give me one good, god damn reason!"

"Because. No matter what you think about her, Haley is still your wife and she just gave birth to your child. Isn't that reason enough?"

"She left me."

"And you would probably do the same for basketball?"

"No I wouldn't! I love Haley and I wanted to be with her, always and forever, but she left me to go on tour with Chris Keller. How do I know that the baby isn't his?"

"Nathan, it's yours. I know it and you do to. She would never do that to you." Lucas paused. "Fine, don't go because Haley is your wife. Go because she is in intensive care from labor and your daughter needs you there."

Nathan paused. "A daughter?" Lucas nodded his head. "I have a daughter?"

Lucas nodded. "Yes, a daughter. Nathan, I'm leaving right now. Do you want a ride?"

Nathan looked at Lucas, evaluating the problem. Yes, Haley left him, but she was pregnant and gave birth to his daughter. "Just let me grab my coat."

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"Can you believe that Haley was pregnant and never told Nathan?"

Peyton looked up from her drawing she was trying to finish at her desk, over to her bed where Brooke and Mouth were sitting, their bodies entangled together. She sighed and looked at Brooke, "yea. I can believe it."

"Why?"

"Well, she left Nathan right? She probably thinks he doesn't love her anymore. Even if he stayed with her for the baby's sake, he doesn't love her, or trust her like he once did. It's hard forgiving someone who's hurt you."

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After a long and tiring five hour drive, Nathan and Lucas finally reached the Hospital in downtown Manhattan where Haley was.

Nathan jumped out of the passenger seat of Lucas' vehicle and raced through the sliding glass doors to the elevator, leaving Lucas behind.

On the maternity floor he ran towards the front desk gasping for breath and he began to speak before the Nurse could get a word in edgewise. "I'm looking for Haley James Scott, or Haley James, I'm not really sure what she is going by right now."

"Calm down sir, but I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to let you see her at the moment. She is still in intensive care and is unable to see visitors."

Nathan could feel Lucas come up from behind him, but most of his attention was focused on the nurse. "But you don't understand, I'm her husband! Please, please, can't you tell me something?" Nathan looked desperately at the nurse as a doctor, who had apparently over heard the conversation, came up toward the brothers.

"You're Haley James Scott's husband?"

"Yes, I am and this is my . . . um . . . brother." Nathan pointed towards Lucas behind him without turning around. "Could you tell me something about my wife and my baby, please?"

"Your daughter is fine and in the nursery, and we moved Haley out of intensive care."

Nathan sighed and smiled up at the doctor. "That good right? Her being out of intensive care? That means she is fine."

"She is in the clear but she is still really weak and tired. When she is better I will find you."

"Okay, thank you." The doctor left Nathan and Lucas standing in the hallway as she moved away. Nathan breathed in a sigh of relief.

"Nathan, I'm going to go call my mom. I'll be back."

Lucas left, leaving Nathan all alone. He started moving noticing a sign on the wall that pointed toward the nursery down the hall. Curiosity got the better of him and he started walking down the hall to the nursery.

As he reached the big window, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Nathan looked into the window and around at the different babies laying in the isolates.

He stopped when she saw a little baby girl.

The baby was adorable with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. Holding his breath, Nathan looked down at the name and read the name out loud: "Isabelle Grace Scott."

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"Yea, Mom, Haley's alright. They moved her out of intensive care and she is resting right now. She lost a lot of blood and they just want to be careful. Isabelle is beautiful. She looks just like Nathan. It's kind of scary."

"So she is okay? They're both okay? How about Nathan?"

"Yea, the girls are okay. Nathan, I'm not so sure yet. It's a lot he has to digest right now and I don't think he has yet."

"He'll come around soon."

"I hope so," answered Lucas. He said good bye and hung up the phone. He moved into the waiting room, sitting down as he watched Nathan pace. "I hope so," he muttered.

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"Mr. Scott?" asked a woman doctor as she walked into the waiting room. Nathan recognized her as the first doctor he had met, who had told him about Haley.

"Is Haley okay?"

"Yes, she is fine. She is awake and well rested. You can go see her now." Nathan smiled and grabbed a small doll that he had bought for Isabelle before heading down the hall.

Nathan breathed deeply and pushed Haley's door open silently.

Laying down in a mess of pillows, was a very pale, light brown haired girl sleeping. He moved through the room, and sat down on the rigid chair beside her bed. Nathan grabbed her right hand that was laying beside her on the bed as he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Nathan?"

Nathan looked up into the biggest brown eyes he has ever seen and smiled sadly at her. His wife looked toward Nathan, disbelief on her face as her eyes began to water.

"Nathan? What . . . what are you doing here?"

"Shhh, Haley, it doesn't matter why I'm here. All that matters is that I am here for you and for our daughter."

"No, Nathan, it does matter. What are you doing here? I don't want you here."

Nathan looked at her confused. "What? Why not Haley? She's my daughter too and I had a right to know about this." He paused, taking in a deep breath, anticipating the argument that was about to happen. "Why wouldn't you tell me?"

"You didn't need to know."

"Yes, I—"

"No you didn't. I left, didn't I? You got over me and stopped caring about me. I wanted to come home and be a family, but after your car accident, you told me not to come home."

"If I would have known that you were pregnant—"

"What? What would you have done? Love me again? I don't want you like that, I wanted you to love me for me, not because you feel you have to. So yea, I kept my pregnancy from you but I wanted to protect her."

"Why? Why, Haley? What have I ever done to you that would make you think that you have to protect our daughter from me?"

Haley sighed and looked away from Nathan, letting her tears fall before wiping them away with the back of her hand. "Nathan, look at your mom and dad. They got pregnant before they wanted to, got married and they hate each other."

"But we got married first–"

"But Nathan, you're still in highschool."

"So? That doesn't matter Haley. We can get through this together, I promise you. I want us to be a family."

"I don't want you to end up hating me. I rather be without you, then be with you and you hate me. I don't want you to hate me and your daughter and I don't want us to be resented for ruining your life. Please Nathan, just leave us alone."

"Haley—"

"Nathan, leave!"

The yell from Haley's lips brought a nurse to Haley's door and she looked around the room at Haley and Nathan. "What's going on in here? Sir, I'm sorry, but you are going to have to leave now. Mrs. Scott has just been through a quite difficult labor and needs some rest."

Nathan sighed lightly, "alright." He turned to walk out of them room, but stopped right before and turned to Haley. "I could never hate you. I love you. Always and forever."

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No matter what Haley wanted, Nathan didn't leave. Lucas stayed beside him, not talking, knowing that Nathan didn't want him too. Haley had stood firm on not letting Nathan in, even as Lucas tried hard, but she stood firm.

Haley was released about nine days after Isabelle's birth. She tried leaving through the front doors, avoiding Nathan, but as she walked down the front steps, he was there watching her.

She sighed. "Nathan, I—"

"Haley listen. I know you don't want to be with me. It kills me, but I think I have to understand. I love you Haley, never stopped and never will. Maybe you don't love me anymore. I don't want to lose you, but maybe if I let you go, you might come back to me one day."

"Nathan—"

"Can I hold her? Before you leave with her, can I hold her please?" Haley hesitated, but she nodded her head and handed Isabelle to Nathan as Taylor and Lucas watched.

Nathan held Isabelle up close to him, tears filling his eyes. "Hey, Isabelle. I want you to always remember that your Daddy loves you with all his heart. I love you, my little Belle. Never forget that." Nathan laid the little doll with Isabelle. "I love you Belle."

Nathan kissed her sweetly on the forehead and handed her back to Haley. Haley could feel warm tears on her cheek, but she turned around and walked away, leaving Nathan behind.

* * *

_Love Me For Me - Ashlee Simpson_

**_Dedicated to snowqueen1213, 23NaleyLVR23, BabyJamesBabyOTHNaleyFan, naley19 and my friend Jaime who just started reading this. Thanks so much for the reviews! Hope there are many more for this one!_**


	13. What Hurts The Most

**Chapter 13 - What Hurts The Most**

_I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show. And I thought that being strong meant never losing your self-control. But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain. To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain, from my eyes. Tonight I wanna cry._

_- - Keith Urban "Tonight I Wanna Cry"_

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_**Maybe I shouldn't have let Haley go. But what other choice did I have? She thinks that everything will be better if she leaves and I move on with my life. But is it? Maybe if I let her go, she will realize she belongs here, in my arms, with our daughter. I'll always love her.**_

_**- - Nathan**_

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It's been over two weeks since Belle was born. It's been just over a week since he had last seen Belle, and Haley. It's also been about two weeks since he picked up a basketball.

Nathan couldn't do it. Not now, maybe never again. He couldn't go back to his life like nothing happened. He couldn't, he wouldn't. He was a father now and as hard as he tried to tell himself that it wasn't, it was different now.

Everyone at school had noticed that there was something wrong, something different about him but thankfully only Lucas, Peyton, Brooke and Mouth knew why.

Rachel kept trying, harder and harder but nothing she could do would change what had happened in New York. Even Dan noticed. Well not really. What he noticed is that Nathan wasn't playing basketball anymore. And that scared him.

"Nathan? How about we go outside and play a round of one-on-one?" Dan moved over and looked down at Nathan laying on the couch, staring off into space.

"She'd be three weeks in three days."

Dan looked at his son, confused about what he was talking about. "Well, tell me if you want to play. You have practice today and that New Years party at Tric tonight, right?"

"Two weeks and four days today."

Dan walked away, confused, wondering if the names Haley and Belle that Nathan yelled out in his sleep during the night had anything to do with his sudden absence from basketball.

Dan left the room as Nathan picked up his basketball, moving it around in his hands. Maybe everything was different now. Maybe Haley didn't want him anymore. Maybe. But that doesn't mean his life is over.

Maybe he could work harder. Maybe he could go to collage, play collage ball. Maybe he will get in the NBA and earn money to go toward his little girl.

Maybe Haley would come back to him. Maybe.

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_**I've never been the type of person to let my feelings show. It just isn't me. Ever since be have become friends, Lucas has seen me on my lowest and highest days. Is that what scares me? Getting close to someone. After all, everyone leaves. But I don't want him to.**_

_**- - Peyton**_

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Breathe. In, out, in, out. Oh God, this is going to be hard. What if he says no? Oh God, don't imagine that. He can't say no, he just can't.

Peyton brought the bottle up to her lips. She never drank, not really. Not this much. It was always a Brooke or Nathan thing, but Peyton never drank too much. Too much bad experience with alcohol and what people might put in alcohol.

But she wanted to numb the pain, make it go away. Make this bearable.

Peyton took another drink as her fist came down on the door. She breathed in deeply, instantly regretting it when he stomach moved funny. She regretted it even more when the door swung open and revealed a tall blonde.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Peyton? What are you doing here? And drinking?" asked Lucas as he pulled the bottle out of her hand.

She breathed in again, and her stomach gave another lurch. "Lucas, I have to tell you something." She breathed in, and closed her eyes. "I—. I—. She never finished her sentence before she had her head in the bushes, throwing up all the alcohol in her stomach.

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_**I think Mouth is being pressured to have sex with me. That's what I'm known for, isn't it? The sex queen that everyone wants to get with. But that isn't what it's like for Mouth. He loves me for being me. I'm doing something I've never done before. I'm waiting.**_

_**- - Brooke**_

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"Hey Mouth?"

Mouth turns around in spot to face another senior, Jamie Fraser, who was in Mouth's Math class this year with a couple of his friends. "Hey Jamie. What's up?"

"I was just wondering how's the sex goddess in bed? You know what I mean, right? Well, I've only heard stories from other people that she's been with, but I heard its kinda kinky with her. Tell us Mouth, tell us what it's like."

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Come on Mouth, you know what were talking about. Everyone wants to get with Brooke and lucky you, you get to." Another boy, Alex McKenzie, said to Mouth, grinning from ear to ear.

"Guys, is this really nes—"

"Unless you haven't been with her yet. You have had sex with her, haven't you?" The speaker, Jack Randall, paused for a moment before a wide grin spread across his face. "You haven't, have you?"

Mouth just stared as the boys laughed. He couldn't believe what was happening, why they were being so mean. Were they jealous, or playing off Mouth's insecurities.

No, Brooke and Mouth haven't had sex yet, but it's wasn't like the moment hadn't come up at all. It had, many times. Brooke had always stopped though before it got too out of hand. Was there something wrong with him?

Two thin arms wrapped around his body and Brooke kissed him on the shoulder from behind. "Hey Mouth."

This made the boys laugh louder, jeering Mouth on. Brooke smirked at them, which made them go even more crazy. Mouth couldn't take it anymore. He pried Brooke arms from around him and walked across the courtyard, away from Brooke.

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_**I want to stop lying to everyone about my heart condition. It hurts that I have to hide it, but I need a scholarship. Mom can't pay for me to go to university now, not with Marissa living here. I don't want Andy to feel like he has to too. I don't want him to think that mom is only marrying him for the money. I want to stop lying to everyone. Especially Peyton.**_

_**- - Lucas**_

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Basketball practice was winding down and the team was having a small game, getting ready for the first playoff game later that week.

The cheerleaders were also in the gym getting ready for the big game, but everyone seemed preoccupied. The cheerleading squad was trying as hard as they could to keep Rachel and Brooke far away from each other.

The game was stressful, Scott brother against Scott brother as they tried to out score one another. Nathan was winning by two points and shot another basket.

"Yeah, baby! Come on Bro, that's all you got?"

Lucas grabs the ball away from Nathan and starts running down the court toward the hoop on the other side to shoot it.

Lucas moves down the court and Nathan jumps in front of Lucas and fowls him.

"Foul, Nathan," Yells Whitey from the sidelines as they continue on with the game. Lucas looks over at Whitey and can tell that he isn't happy.

"Nathan, cool it. Save all this for the game on Friday."

Nathan turns around and faces Lucas. "Why don't you start playing? Or is your heart not in it anymore? Why don't you play like you actually want to win on Friday?"

"So if I'm not playing like I want to win, then does that mean you aren't either. I'm only down by four points. I can easily surpass that. Want to see?"

Lucas dives for the ball, grabbing it. He moves toward the basket again, driving hard and moving in graceful, yet forcefully. He moves past Nathan, freighting right then going left to the basket. Nathan catches up, blocking him from the basket. Lucas shoots a fade away shot from the three point line.

Score. One basket left.

The rest of the guys on the teams have stopped, watching the two boys fight it out amongst themselves. The cheerleaders stop and watch, keeping Brooke and Rachel apart long forgotten.

Lucas grabs the ball again, driving to the basket before he suddenly stops. Nathan grabs the ball from him and leaves Lucas standing behind as he goes toward the basket. Lucas places his hand on his chest, shooting pains shooting up and down his left arm.

"Oh, God."

Nathan stops and turns back to Lucas. Everyone watches as Lucas moves forward on his feet before he collapses onto his back.

"Lucas!"

The team rushes forward and Nathan reaches Lucas first and he taps Lucas. "Coach! Coach! Something's wrong!"

Whitey moves beside Lucas and he places his hand on Lucas chest as the team and the cheerleaders gather around. He checks for a pulse and checks his breathing. "Someone call an ambulance!"

Peyton watches, silently crying to herself as Whitey takes care of Lucas, making sure he is breathing still, until the paramedics arrive. Everyone else has moved back over the sidelines, but Peyton can't make herself move.

"Peyton?"

Peyton turns her head, showing Brooke her tear-stained face as more tears start to fall. Brooke moves, pulling Peyton in a hug as Peyton starts to cry uncontrollably. "Brooke, what if he's not okay? What if something happens to him Brooke?"

"Nothing will Peyton. I promise you."

Peyton sobs louder as she looks up at Brooke. "How do you know Brooke? How do you know everything is going to be okay?"

"You just have to have faith."

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_**I love Brooke, with all my heart, but she has so much more experience then me. Experience with dating, experience with the opposite sex and that, sex. And I'm scared that I won't live up to her standards. And she might leave me.**_

_**- - Mouth**_

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"Hey Mouth."

Brooke moved into Mouth's bedroom. His sister Winnie had let her in before she took off to hang out with Greg and Marissa. They had the house all to their selves, and for once, Brooke cursed it.

Mouth didn't move from the computer chair as Brooke sat down on the bed. He didn't turn, or greet her, instead just stared at the computer screen.

"Can we talk Mouth?" He still hadn't turned around, but Brooke noticed that he tensed up, like he was preparing for disaster. Like a break up. "It's about today. You know, in the courtyard when you took off."

"If you're going to break up with me, can you get over with it? The suspense is killing me."

Brooke felt her eyes begin to well up with tears as she couldn't believe the harshness in Mouth's words. This was the guy who had always been so nice to her.

"How can you think such a thing? I love you so much Mouth, and I never want to lose you, ever. How could you think I would break up with you over something as stupid as sex?" Mouth spun around, confusion on his face. "Jamie told me, after Alex and Jack left."

"Great."

Tears come to Brooke's eyes as she breaths in deeply. "Mouth? Please turn around and face me." She hears him sigh deeply and he turns around and Brooke stares at his tear streaked face, almost identical to her own.

Despite everything, Brooke starts to laugh. Mouth is so startled by this, his tears stop suddenly. "What?"

"Nothing," says Brooke, trying to stifle her laughter.

Brooke moves suddenly toward Mouth, wrapping her two arms around Mouth's neck. "You know Mouth, it doesn't matter to me if we don't have sex. It's not a big deal to me."

"I know, but—"

"I know you're a guy and everything, and with my repetition and all, it can be kind of overwhelming, but our relationship is different then all my other ones. And I don't want to complicate thing with sex. I love you too much."

"I love you too, Brooke." says Mouth as he pulls Brooke closer to his body.

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The steading beeping from the machine filled the otherwise silent room. She couldn't breath, couldn't utter a sound, afraid that even the most silent noise would dissolve this world she has created. He's alive.

He's alive.

The heart attack had shaken everyone around him, especially his mother, who hadn't left his side since he had been admitted. He's been asleep the whole time.

"Lucas? Please wake up. You always saving me. Let me save you."

Peyton leans down and kisses him sweetly on the lips before pulling away slowly, to be pulled again toward Lucas as her lips met a furry of kisses.

She pulled away and looked down at disbelief. "Lucas?"

"Hey Blondie," Lucas' eyes flutter open as he looked up at Peyton standing over him. "About time you came to your senses. I thought that I would die before you kissed me like that again."

Peyton took a deep breath. "Don't ever think about leaving me," she said as she moved closer to Lucas, grabbing his hand in her own.

"Never."

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_**Motherhood is hard. I wish I had Nathan here, helping me with Belle, but no, I wanted to give him a better life. It is better isn't? I don't know anymore. All I know is that I want to be the best mother I can be for Belle. She deserves it.**_

_**- - Haley**_

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"My little Bella. _Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's going to buy you a mockingbird. And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's going to buy you a diamond ring._"

Haley's voice filled the hallway toward her apartment that she shared with Taylor. Haley's daughter was wrapped tightly in a light yellow blanket, singing in baby talk along with Haley as Haley smiled down at her.

"_Mama's going to buy you a horse and cart. And if that horse and cart fall down, You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.._"

Belle squirmed around, still singing along in baby talk in Haley's arms and Haley laid her down in her basinet and moved over to the message machine as she turned the television on with the remote, showing the New Years festivities.

The message machine clicked and a familiar voice from the past filled the small two bedroom apartment.

"_Hey Haley, it's Karen. Hope you are doing okay and that little girl of yours is as beautiful as her mother. Anyway, I was hoping that I could convince you to come home and be one of my bride's maids in my wedding in April. Call me later._

There was a click and Haley looked down at Belle as screams erupted from the television when the clock struck twelve.

"Happy New Year, Belle."

* * *

_What Hurts The Most - Rascal Flatts_

_**Dedicated to naley4ever323, BabyJamesBabyOTHNaleyFan, snowqueen1213, naley19**_


	14. I Loved Her First

**Chapter 14 - I Loved Her First**

_All the pain I thought I knew. All the thoughts lead back to you. Back to what was never said, back and forth inside my head. I can't handle this confusion. I'm unable; come and take me away._

_- - Avril Lavigne "Take Me Away"_

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He watched over the horizon and watched at the _Welcome to Tree Hill_ sign came up on the highway. He turned around and looked at his younger daughter, almost two years old, and smiled as she played with her blonde curls, struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Hey baby. We're almost home."

Jake Jaglieski turned back to watch the road as he pulled off the busy freeway and drove into his hometown, his baby in tow.

_- -flashback- -_

"_All rise for the honorable Judge Smith."_

_Jake stood up with his lawyer beside him and stole a quick glance at Nikki at the next table before he stared up at the judge as he walked in and sat down._

"_In the case of custody of the 22-month-old Jennifer Nicole Jaglieski, I award full custody to the father, Jacob Jaglieski."_

_- -end flashback- -_

Jake pulled down a familiar street, where he had lived most of his life and into the driveway of his parents house. The look on his mother's face had been priceless and made the day long trip back worth everything.

His mother held Jenny closer to her body, much like Jake had done the day he had won custody, but he was too preoccupied to really pay attention. Jake had someone else to find.

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"Karen?"

Andy Hardgrove moved around the house, trying desperately to find Karen. They were supposed to met for lunch to work on wedding preparations, but he had gotten a call about twenty minutes before from Karen telling him that she couldn't make it because she was sick.

"Karen? Karen, are you here?"

He heard movement coming from the back room, and Andy spun around and rushed toward the room, scared of what he may find. He found a shaking body, crying silently to herself, in the corner on the ground.

"Karen?"

She looked up at him startled, with her tear stained face and hastily tried to wipe her tears away. "Andy? What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure you were okay."

Karen sighed and moved to get up, busying herself in a way to keep Andy from seeing her face. "I'm fine. I hope I didn't worry you."

"I wasn't worried. But now I am." He paused a moment before continuing. "What is really wrong Karen?"

"I said noth—"

"Yea, you did, but you were lying." He moved closer to Karen, pulling her closer to his body as she relished in the heat. "I can read you like a book. You have no talent for lying. Tell me what's wrong."

"It's just stupid. It doesn't matter."

"Tell me. I'll tell you if it matters."

She sighs deeply, moving away from Andy's grasp, not meeting his eyes. "Why are you with me Andy? Really? I have a teenage son and I am so much older then you. What can you see in me?"

"Getting cold feet are we?"

"Andy I'm serious. Don't you want kids, a wife around your own age? And with Lucas and his heart problem as well as Marissa chemotherapy treatment, I don't want you to think I only want you for your money. I love you."

Andy moves and pulls Karen closer to his body. "I love you too. Too much to ever let you go. All I want is you, I don't need anything else. I'm never going to let you go." He moves his head lower, kissing her sweetly on the forehead. "That is, if you'll have me?"

Karen smirks up at him and sighs dramatically. "If I have too," she says as she quickly moves down the hall, with Andy close behind, into her bedroom.

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Haley moves around the small hotel room where herself and Belle has been staying with Taylor for the last two months. She moves over to the small basinet, looking down at her small daughter.

"Hey baby Belle."

Haley smiles down at Belle as she moves her hand down across Belle's fragile face but she instantly draws her hand back away. "Oh-my-gosh!"

Belle's face is warm. Not warm, hot. Too hot. Now that Haley looks, she noticed that Belle is flushed and squirming in her sleep. She has a fever.

"Oh-my-gosh! Taylor!"

Taylor quickly runs into the room from the bathroom where she was doing her hair and makeup for work. "What is it Haley? What's wrong?"

"It's Belle! She has a fever! I have to take her to the hospital!"

Haley collects Belle's things and wraps her warmly in her small coat, covering her in blankets in her carrier.

"Hold on Belle. Mommy loves you."

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Laughter rang down the dock, surrounding the two lovebirds in their own little world. Brooke smirked as her and Mouth walked closer, hand in hand.

Brooke giggles as they come up behind the two blondes. "Look boyfriend," she says turning to Mouth, "I told you Broody and Blondie were meant for each other. And that they would finally come to their senses and start actually dating. I did tell you, didn't you?"

Mouth laughs as Peyton turns around. "Hey Brooke, nice of you to sneak up on us."

"Well, P. Sawyer, it wouldn't be as fun if you saw me before I scared you." Brooke moves to the other side of the table beside Peyton as she laughs. "So Luke, how do you feel?"

"Better, thanks Cheery. But I'm grounded to the end of the world for not telling my mom sooner. But it won't be too long. She is just stressed out with planning the wedding and everything, and she still lets me out with Peyton, but only Peyton."

Peyton moves her hand, grasping Lucas' on the table and Brooke made a face. "Are you too going to be disgustingly lovesick puppies?"

"Look who's talking," replied Peyton.

As Mouth chuckled, Brooke looked offended. "Mouth and I were not lovesick puppies when we started dating. Where we?"

"I just remember that little smile that would always crossed your face when Mouth's name came up. Made me sick." Peyton laughed as Brooke swatted at her, hitting her arm lightly. "Hey, that wasn't nice. Sorry, but that's what is was, lovesick!"

Mouth suddenly moved to stand up and said, "I feel like having some ice cream. Anyone else want some?"

Lucas and Brooke both shook their heads no. "I do," replied Peyton and she stood up.

"Don't be too long okay? Actually, could you bring me back a soda or something?" asked Brooke. "At least I will get peace and quiet from the lovesick couple."

"Dido," replied Lucas.

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"Excuse me? Excuse me!?" Haley grabbed the doctor's white jacket and turned him toward herself. "My daughter? Isabelle Scott? What's going on with my daughter? Is she okay?"

"Oh, your Mrs. Scott? I've been looking for you."

Haley sighed heavily waiting for the doctor to go on. When he didn't she asked, "is she alright?"

"Oh, yes, sorry, quite alright. She just had a small fever and we gave her some antibiotics, so she should be fine soon. I know being a first time mother must have scared you, and I think it was a good idea that you brought her in. Take a load off your chest."

"Thank you."

"We are going to give her some shots while she is here, some are later then they are supposed to be but it should be okay. You should be able to take her home tonight."

"Thank you doctor."

The doctor nodded and smiled slightly at Haley before he moved away from her and onto another patient. Haley breathed deeply, finally able to feel calm. Belle was alright.

Haley pulled out her cell phone and dialed a family number. "Hey Nathan."

"I miss you, and so does Belle. She looks like you more and more every day," she breathed in remembering all the things that Belle and Nathan shared.

"Anyways, I'm sorry about leaving back in New York. I realize now that shouldn't have done that. She's your daughter too and I should have talked to you about this before I had my decision so quickly."

"I've been thinking, especially since I'm in a hospital right now. Oh, don't worry, Belle is okay. It just made me realize that I don't want to go through this alone. I want to do this with you Nathan, raise our daughter together. Call me, please."

There was a beep and realization dawned on Dan Scott's face. He knew why Nathan had changed since coming home from New York. And he knew what to do.

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Jake pulled over his parents' light blue vehicle into an empty parking space and started to walk down Main Street, up toward the docks, where he and Peyton had shared their first date.

He turned the corner and he noticed a small blonde with short and strait hair with her back turned to him. As he walked closer, he noticed that it was Peyton and his heart skipped a beat. He watched Peyton, taking in her new appearance before he started to move toward her.

Jake was so close and about to yell her name when she noticed Mouth McFadden come out of the ice cream store and he quickly moves to hide from view.

Jake watches as Mouth hands Peyton a chocolate ice cream cone and they walk back toward the docks side by side. Jake watches as she moves away from him and starts to follow them, following closely behind.

Jake followed them down to the docks, hiding in the shadows of anything so they couldn't see him. He watched as Peyton and Mouth reached a blonde guy and a brunette girl sitting at a table, talking silently.

Jake breathed a sigh of relief, noticing that it was Lucas and Brooke and assuming they were probably just hanging out.

Jake is about to move out of the shadows and say hello when Lucas grabs the cone out of Peyton's hand and licks the ice cream. Peyton puts on a fake mad face, but Lucas stopped that by kissing her on the nose with ice cream all over his lips.

Jake breathed in deeply, trying to keep calm as he turned around. _**You said she had to go on with her life, forget about me.**_ He sighed and looked back at Peyton as she kissed Lucas back.

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There was a knock at the apartment door and Haley moved from the couch she was sitting on, holding fast to Belle, and moved to open the door. On the other side of the door, stood a Scott. But not the one she was hoping for.

"Mr. Scott? What are you doing here?"

Dan looked over Haley and the baby in her arms, Belle''s face snuggled close to Haley's side. "You're right. She does look a lot like Nathan."

"What are you doing here Mr. Scott?"

"I have an offer I'm willing to make with you. You are my daughter-in-law after all, and I wouldn't be a good father-in-law if I didn't offer it to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm offering you away out." Haley looked at him strangely, gaping on what he had just said. "Aren't you going to offer to let me in?" Without such invitation, Dan moved into the room and sat down on the couch in the living room as Haley moved from the door into the wood rocking chair.

"What do you mean out?" asked Haley when she regained her voice.

"I want what's best for my son, my daughter-in-law and my granddaughter, Belle right?" Haley nodded, still confused. "I want to let you all start over fresh."

"What do you mean?"

"Is there any place you would love to live in the states? Or maybe some university you would love to go to but can't afford it? I can give you that."

Haley looked up at Dan. "Give me? When you didn't care that Nathan and I got married?"

"Everyone does stupid things when they are young. I think that you and Nathan can fix this. Maybe you and Belle can move to the West coast, start a new life."

"And leave?"

"What is there left for you over here? I would help you in anyway you need. Rent, food, baby things, you just name it."

"But you want me to leave. Leave Nathan."

"You already have, haven't you? You aren't at home with Nathan anymore and he is ready to move on with his life and I think you are too." Dan pulled out a credit card from his pocket. "It's unlimited. Anything you want for you and your baby are here. All you have to do is take it."

Haley stared at the credit card for a moment. On one hand, she would be able to provide Belle with everything she would need. But she would be leaving any chance of her and Nathan.

"Okay. I'll go."

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Jake turned around quickly, trying to get the image out of his head as he walked into a bar he knew he could use his fake ID. He sat down on a hard stool at the bar as the bartender came up to him. "What can I get you?"

"Anything with alcohol." The bartender brought back a normal beer and Jake took a long drink from the mug.

Jake sat there for hours, not even moving to go to the bathroom. The regulars started to come in when the bartender came up to Jake, "I think you had enough."

Jake tried to argue, but knew it was no use, himself being too drunk to do much. The bartender called a taxi for him and Jake waited outside in the brisk air for the taxi that showed up in less then ten minutes.

He climbs in, tells the driver where to go and lays his head back on the seat, imagining that Peyton was his and laying beside him.

All of the sudden there was the sound of metal hitting metal and Jake's world went black.

* * *

**_Thank you to naley19, naley4ever323, heathergirl84, EmmaOthfanx and snowqueen1213 for reviewing. Please review again!_**


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